On April 14, 2026, severe thunderstorms moved across portions of western and central Massachusetts during the evening hours, producing damaging thunderstorm winds. No tornadoes or hail reports were received for Massachusetts. The primary impacts were downed trees, tree limbs, and power lines, with isolated cases of trees falling onto structures. All reports originated from the National Weather Service offices in Albany, NY (ALY – covering Berkshire and parts of Franklin County) and Boston, MA (BOX – covering Franklin, Hampshire, and Worcester Counties). Wind gusts reached measured severe levels (≥58 mph) in at least one location, and numerous locations experienced tree and wire damage consistent with straight-line thunderstorm winds. No injuries were reported in Massachusetts from these events.
Thunderstorm winds caused the following damage (all times converted to Eastern Daylight Time for local reference; original UTC times shown in parentheses):Berkshire County (Western Massachusetts)
- 6:56 PM EDT (2256 UTC): Tree down blocking Swamp Road, 3 NW of Dalton.
- 6:58 PM EDT (2258 UTC): Measured wind gust of 59 mph, 2 SW of Pittsfield (NWS Albany ASOS data).
- 7:10 PM EDT (2310 UTC): Large tree limb down on Spring Street, 1 WNW of Lee.
Franklin County
- 7:27 PM EDT (2327 UTC): Small tree downed on Massachusetts Route 8A near Hawley, 3 NNW of Plainfield.
- 7:28 PM EDT (2328 UTC): Tree downed, blocking portions of Upper Road, 2 NW of Deerfield.
- 7:30 PM EDT (2330 UTC): Tree downed at the intersection of Meridian Street and Colorado Avenue, 1 SSW of Greenfield (relayed via amateur radio).
Hampshire County
- 7:40 PM EDT (2340 UTC): Multiple trees and power-line wires downed on Laurel Drive, 3 SSE of Hadley.
- 7:40 PM EDT (2340 UTC): Power-line wires downed near Indian Hill Road, Northampton.
Worcester County (Central Massachusetts)
- 7:55 PM EDT (2355 UTC): Tree downed on wires near Turkey Hill Road, 1 SW of Rutland (relayed via amateur radio).
- 8:00 PM EDT (0000 UTC): Downed trees and wires near Ball Hill Road, 3 SW of Princeton (relayed via amateur radio).
- 8:09 PM EDT (0009 UTC): Tree downed onto a house near Manning Street, 2 N of Holden.
- 8:10 PM EDT (0010 UTC): Tree downed onto a house near Crescent Street in Lancaster (reported as 1 N of Clinton; relayed via amateur radio).
Summary of Impacts
- Power outages and road blockages were the main effects, primarily from fallen trees and limbs across roads and utility lines.
- Structural damage was limited to two confirmed cases of trees falling on houses in the Holden/Lancaster area of Worcester County.
- The strongest measured wind was a 59 mph gust near Pittsfield, which meets the National Weather Service criterion for severe thunderstorm winds.
- The events occurred between approximately 6:56 PM and 8:10 PM EDT as a line of thunderstorms tracked eastward across the state.
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