Tropical Storm Henri Could Impact the Berkshires. City of Pittsfield Urges Caution…

Pittsfield is taking the oncoming storm seriously…and so should you.
As alluded to in an earlier post on wupe.com, tropical storm Henri is heading up the coast towards New England. The exact track of the storm is still unpredictable but no matter what the actual strength of the storm is and the exact impact zone, we will feel its presence with strong wind gusts and heavy rain and possible flooding.

The storm is expected to affect our region on Sunday into Monday. The City of Pittsfield issued a press release urging caution. According to the release the impact to western Massachusetts will be rainfall ranging between 3 to 6 inches and 30 to 40 mile per hour wind gusts. Those calculations could be on the high-side but also on the low-side depending on so many unpredictable factors at this time.

The city warns of potential impacts may also include downed trees, power lines and flash flooding. According to the release, members of the city’s Emergency Management Team met this morning to plan for the storms impact on the city. Pittsfield Fire Chief Thomas Sammons said “We just want everyone to be stay safe so we’re asking the public to prepare ahead, get what you need and stay off the roads as much as possible.” Mass Governor Charlie Baker issued a statewide advisory warning of the storm’s impact on the state.

Some helpful tips that will help in preparation of the storm…
• Clear catch basins from debris allowing water to drain without obstacles.
• Remove dead or rotting trees and branches around your home.
• Store any outdoor items that could be storm projectiles in heavy winds.
• Bring your pets inside well before the storm starts.
• Have fresh water and nonperishable food available in case of a loss of power.
• Have flashlights and fresh batteries handy in case of lost power.
• Charge all of your phones…tablets…laptops well before the storm advances.
• Clear clogged rain gutters.
• Have a plan in place early…do not wait until that last minute.

The City of Pittsfield would also like you to know that City officials will continue to monitor and track the storm. Emergency updates are shared through the city’s notification system, CodeRED. To sign up, please click here: https://public.coderedweb.com/CNE/en-US/8E853AC9FDEB For more information, please visit mass.gov/MEMA.

To report a downed powerline contact Eversource at 877-659-8636. If you happen to have cell service you can also report and  check on outages by clicking on this link to the outage page of the Eversource website.