image description
The temperatures will be in the single digits and low teens for the next week or so.

Berkshires Face Frigid Temperatures This Week

Staff ReportsPrint Story | Email Story

Wind gusts could be up to 24 mph making it feel a lot colder.
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — It is getting cold this week - really cold. 
 
According to the National Weather Service, temperatures will be below zero at night all week and be in the single-digits or low teens during the days. 
 
The chill is expected to be "well below seasonal normals" for December, according to the National Weather Service, with arctic air coming into the area from Canada. The wind and cold aren't expected to break until next week.
 
"Strong arctic high pressure will move from the northern Plains tonight to the Great Lakes Wednesday and Thursday, then reach into western New England Friday. Very cold arctic air will dominate through the New Year holiday weekend. A coastal storm may develop during this weekend, but it remains uncertain if the system will track close enough to bring significant snow to the region," reads an advisory from the National Weather Service.
 
The coldest stretch is expected to start Wednesday evening and last until Friday morning. Thursday is expected to be the worst daytime with a temperature somewhere around 9 degrees with wind gusts of as much as 24 mph making it feel a whole lot colder.
 
"A Wind Chill Advisory may be needed for the interior, especially the higher terrain of the Worcester Hills and east slopes of the Berkshires as wind chills may dip to -15 to -20 in those locales," wrote the National Weather Service about Wednesday night.
 
The weather poses the threat of hypothermia. The Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency has previously released the following safety tips.
 
-Dress in several layers of loose-fitting, lightweight clothing instead of a single heavy layer. Outer garments should be tightly woven and water repellent. Wear a hat, mittens (not gloves), and sturdy waterproof boots to protect your extremities. Cover your mouth with a scarf to protect your lungs.
 
-Watch for signs of frostbite and hypothermia. Frostbite causes a loss of feeling and a pale appearance in extremities, such as fingers, toes, ear lobes or the tip of the nose. If symptoms are detected, seek medical help immediately.
 
-The warning signs of hypothermia include uncontrollable shivering, memory loss, disorientation, incoherence, slurred speech, drowsiness and apparent exhaustion.  Get the victim to a warm location. If the person’s temperature drops below 95 degrees, seek immediate medical care.
 
-Have a well-stocked home Emergency Kit that includes a flashlight, sleeping bag or blanket, portable radio, extra batteries, a first aid kit, bottled water and non-perishable food. Add seasonal supplies to your emergency kit such as extra winter clothing and blankets.
 
-Make sure your car is properly winterized.  Keep the gas tank at least half-full.  Carry a Winter Emergency Car Kit including blankets, extra clothing, a flashlight with spare batteries, a can, waterproof matches (to melt snow for drinking water), non-perishable foods, windshields scraper, shovel, sand, towrope, and jumper cables in the trunk.
 
-Be a good neighbor. Check on family, friends, and neighbors, especially the elderly, those who live alone, those with medical conditions, and those who may need additional assistance.
 
-Limit outdoor time for your pets. Freezing temperatures are dangerous to animals as well as humans. 
 
-Wrap pipes in insulation or layers of newspapers covered with plastic to keep them from freezing. Allow a trickle of warm water to run from a faucet that is farthest from your water meter or one that has frozen in the past.  This will keep the water moving so that it cannot freeze.  If pipes freeze, remove insulation, completely open all faucets and pour hot water over the pipes or wrap them with towels soaked in hot water, starting where they are most exposed to the cold. A hair dryer, used with caution, works well to thaw pipes.
 
-Although temperatures may be cold, bodies of water covered in ice are likely unsafe given recent temperature fluctuations. Residents are urged to stay off frozen bodies of water until ice is at least 4 inches thick.
 
-Ensure you have sufficient heating fuel, as well as alternate emergency heating equipment in case you lose electricity. When utilizing alternate heating sources, such as an emergency generator, your fireplace, wood stove, or space heater, take necessary safety precautions:
 
-Keep a fire extinguisher handy and ensure everyone knows how to use it properly.
 
-Never heat your home with a gas stove or oven or charcoal barbecue grill.
 
-Make sure all heating devices are properly ventilated and always operate a generator outdoors and away from your home. Improper heating devices can lead to dangerous carbon monoxide (CO) buildup in the home. Make sure you test smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors. Carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless gas that can cause flulike illness or death. If you suspect carbon monoxide poisoning, call 911 immediately, get the victim to fresh air, and open windows.
 
-Keep anything that can burn at least three feet away from space heaters. See more winter heating safety tips from the Department of Fire Services.
If you need information on the location of open warming centers or shelters check with local authorities or call 2-1-1.
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

EPA Lays Out Draft Plan for PCB Remediation in Pittsfield

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

Ward 4 Councilor James Conant requested the meeting be held at Herberg Middle School as his ward will be most affected. 

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — U.S. The Environmental Protection Agency and General Electric have a preliminary plan to remediate polychlorinated biphenyls from the city's Rest of River stretch by 2032.

"We're going to implement the remedy, move on, and in five years we can be done with the majority of the issues in Pittsfield," Project Manager Dean Tagliaferro said during a hearing on Wednesday.

"The goal is to restore the (Housatonic) river, make the river an asset. Right now, it's a liability."

The PCB-polluted "Rest of River" stretches nearly 125 miles from the confluence of the East and West Branches of the river in Pittsfield to the end of Reach 16 just before Long Island Sound in Connecticut.  The city's five-mile reach, 5A, goes from the confluence to the wastewater treatment plant and includes river channels, banks, backwaters, and 325 acres of floodplains.

The event was held at Herberg Middle School, as Ward 4 Councilor James Conant wanted to ensure that the residents who will be most affected by the cleanup didn't have to travel far.

Conant emphasized that "nothing is set in actual stone" and it will not be solidified for many months.

In February 2020, the Rest of River settlement agreement that outlines the continued cleanup was signed by the U.S. EPA, GE, the state, the city of Pittsfield, the towns of Lenox, Lee, Stockbridge, Great Barrington, and Sheffield, and other interested parties.

Remediation has been in progress since the 1970s, including 27 cleanups. The remedy settled in 2020 includes the removal of one million cubic yards of contaminated sediment and floodplain soils, an 89 percent reduction of downstream transport of PCBs, an upland disposal facility located near Woods Pond (which has been contested by Southern Berkshire residents) as well as offsite disposal, and the removal of two dams.

The estimated cost is about $576 million and will take about 13 years to complete once construction begins.

View Full Story

More Pittsfield Stories