The U.S. National Weather Service in Albany, N.Y., has released a wind chill advisory for Berkshire County and surrounding regions from midnight tonight until 3 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 11.
Mount Greylock Regional Schools will be closed Tuesday.
A missive from Superintendent Jason McCandless said the reasoning for the closure is that a two-hour delay is not expected to result in improved temperatures and that classrooms and buses have had to keep windows open for airflow. "We are especially concerned about bus stop waits and students who walk to school," he wrote.
All afternoon activities at the elementary schools are canceled and a decision will be made later Monday on whether to cancel athletics on Monday.
Mount Greylock's announcement was followed later in the afternoon by Berkshire Hills, Lee, McCann, North Adams, and Pittsfield schools.
Wind chills as low as 15 below to 25 below zero are expected. The coldest wind chills will occur late Monday night into Tuesday morning.
The cold wind chills could cause frostbite on exposed skin in as little as 30 minutes. Use caution while traveling outside and wear appropriate clothing.
During the day Monday, temperatures will stay in the low-20s. Temperatures will continue to drop throughout the late afternoon and evening. More snow flurries are expected, according to Accuweather.
Temperatures will be in the single digits Tuesday but will feel much cooler because of the wind chill.
Pittsfield will open three warming centers Tuesday: the Ralph J. Froio Senior Center, 330 North St.; Christian Center adjacent warming shelter, 193 Robbins Ave.; and the Salvation Army, 298 West St. At each location, visitors will be able to have a warm beverage and charge devices, if necessary.
These will be open normal hours of operations: 8:30 to 4 at the Senior Center; 8:30 to 3:30, Christian Center; 8 to 4, Salvation Army.
St. Joseph High School at 2 Maplewood Ave. continues to be available for overnight shelter services. Call 413-320-6550 for more information.
Pittsfield residents dealing with weather-related emergencies after-hours can call the Pittsfield Police Department.
As city officials continue to monitor the weather, any significant updates will be provided as necessary through the city's CodeRED notification system and/or through the Pittsfield City Hall Facebook page.
Midweek temperatures will start to creep up into the high 20s Wednesday and the mid-30s Friday. Expect lows in the single digits Friday.
Saturday also looks cold with temperatures below 15 throughout the county.
When we say an arctic blast... we really mean it...
This is a look at the HYSPLIT trajectory model... it allows us to see where our air is coming from... this time the Arctic Circle. pic.twitter.com/dGoiVdyBV8
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Lt. Gov. Driscoll, State Officials Break Ground on Pittsfield Rail Improvements
By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
PITTSFIELD, Mass.— State officials ceremoniously broke ground on rail infrastructure improvements as the train passed on Thursday.
They also celebrated the now permanent Berkshire Flyer and strides towards a passenger train connecting western, central, and eastern Massachusetts.
Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll said everyone benefits when there are more ways to get around, particularly on rail.
"And because work like this isn't just about train service. We know it's going to help support our local businesses and bring families and loved ones together for the holidays and support our tourism industry. Certainly, strengthening the connections between Massachusetts and Berkshire County, from Berkshire all the way to the Cape," she said at the CSX Pittsfield Yard on East Street.
"This is the before. I can't wait to see the after. And with continued investments and partnership, we're going to make that happen."
Massachusetts Department of Transportation Rail and Transit Administrator Meredith Slesinger explained that the groundbreaking marks an important milestone for improving existing services, but it's also a "down payment on the future West East Rail."
Several years ago, the state worked with CSX to establish a framework for piloting the Berkshire Flyer service seasonally on weekends between Pittsfield, Albany, and New York City. As part of that negotiation, a long-term agreement would depend on MassDOT contributing to infrastructure improvements to build corridor capacity and reduce potential for rail congestion.
After assessing the service’s performance and partnering with CSX to identify needed infrastructure investments to enable a permanent service, two projects were identified:
A ceremonial groundbreaking was held for infrastructure improvements to the rail, the now-permanent Berkshire Flyer, and strides towards a passenger train connecting western, central, and eastern Massachusetts.
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On Wednesday, during a special virtual meeting, the Conservation Commission approved a series of three treatments with EarthTec QZ. During dive monitoring in August, a live adult zebra mussel was found near the boat ramp.
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