image description

Tropical Storm Bringing Heavy Rain to Berkshires

Print Story | Email Story
A tropical storm heading north up the Atlantic coast could bring more rain to the Berkshires over the weekend. 
 
Dubbed "Fay," the storm began as a tropical depression off the coast of North Carolina midweek and formed late Thursday. 
 
According to Accuweather, the storm has sustained winds of 60 mph and could bring 2 to 4 inches of rain over Western Mass and Southern Vermont from late Friday through Saturday morning. 
 
"Fay will make landfall along the New Jersey coast during Friday afternoon," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist and Lead Hurricane Expert Dan Kottlowski said. "Fay will be a mostly heavy rain producer but could still bring wind gusts of 50-60 mph along coastal areas of eastern Long Island and over southern coastal areas of New England."
 
The National Weather Service in Albany, N.Y., has issued a flash flood watch through noon on Saturday.
 
"While there is still some uncertainty regarding Fay’s exact track and the timing and placement of heaviest rainfall, confidence is increasing that high rainfall rates will present the potential for local flash flooding," according to NWS' latest weather briefing. "The eastern slopes of the Catskills and Helderbergs may receive some of the highest rainfall amounts."
 
NWS is predicting less rain for the Berkshires at this point, possibly 1 to 1.5 inches, with heavier rain to the south and east.
 
There is the potential for high winds so anything outdoors should be secured and residents should be aware of hazards such as downed trees limbs and wires. 
 
Accuweather reports that the storm is not expected to strengthen into a hurricane because of its proximity to the coast. 

Tags: bad weather,   rain,   storm,   

If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Macksey Updates on Eagle Street Demo and Myriad City Projects

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff

The back of Moderne Studio in late January. The mayor said the city had begun planning for its removal if the owner could not address the problems. 
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The Moderne Studio building is coming down brick by brick on Eagle Street on the city's dime. 
 
Concerns over the failing structure's proximity to its neighbor — just a few feet — means the demolition underway is taking far longer than usual. It's also been delayed somewhat because of recent high winds and weather. 
 
The city had been making plans for the demolition a month ago because of the deterioration of the building, Mayor Jennifer Macksey told the City Council on Tuesday. The project was accelerated after the back of the 150-year-old structure collapsed on March 5
 
Initial estimates for demolition had been $190,000 to $210,000 and included asbestos removal. Those concerns have since been set aside after testing and the mayor believes that the demolition will be lower because it is not a hazardous site.
 
"We also had a lot of contractors who came to look at it for us to not want to touch it because of the proximity to the next building," she said. "Unfortunately time ran out on that property and we did have the building failure. 
 
"And it's an unfortunate situation. I think most of us who have lived here our whole lives and had our pictures taken there and remember being in the window so, you know, we were really hoping the building could be safe."
 
Macksey said the city had tried working with the owner, who could not find a contractor to demolish the building, "so we found one for him."
 
View Full Story

More North Adams Stories