Eversource Ready for An Active 2025 Atlantic Hurricane Season

BOSTON, Mass. — As the ocean waters churn along the east coast and another hurricane season begins, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is predicting above-normal activity for the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season.

Between June 1 and November 30, NOAA is forecasting a 60 percent chance of an above-normal season with 6-10 hurricanes having winds of 74 mph or higher and 3-5 major hurricanes with winds 111 mph or higher. With the changing climate increasing the frequency and severity of extreme weather around the globe, including here in New England, Eversource is reminding customers to plan and always be prepared for severe weather. The energy company works year-round to safeguard the electric grid through upgrades, maintenance, and proactive vegetation management to ensure reliability for customers.  

"As we've seen in Massachusetts many times over the years, extreme weather can hit hard here causing significant damage just as it can anywhere else in the country, so we know how crucial it is to be prepared—especially during hurricane season," said Eversource President of Electric Operations in Massachusetts Doug Foley. "We've been meeting to discuss NOAA's hurricane season forecast and review and update storm response protocols accordingly, but we really prepare for storms year-round. We always monitor multiple forecasts and take steps to prepare, including having crews ready to go if a storm is heading our way so they can respond as quickly and safely as possible to get customers back on if they do lose power."

With trees causing more than 90 percent of power outages during storms, trimming and removing hazard trees that threaten overhead electric lines is fundamental to emergency preparedness and crucial to providing customers with reliable power in all types of weather. Eversource also reminds customers that homeowners are responsible for keeping branches away from the lower-voltage service wires connecting their homes to the main utility lines on the street. The energy company strongly recommends contacting a professional tree service to perform this work.

A worker proactively trims a tree in Massachusetts to help ensure reliable power for customers.

Eversource offers several simple tips and steps customers can take to help prepare for hurricane season at home. The energy company provides a storm safety checklist and encourages customers to always have an emergency plan in place, assemble a storm kit with essential items, plan a meeting place for family members and be ready to check on neighbors. Customers can also download Eversource's mobile app or sign up for the company's two-way texting to report and check outages in the event they do occur.

For all the latest storm information and updates, follow Eversource on X and Facebook. For more information on the energy company's emergency preparedness efforts and restoration process, visit Eversource.com.

Colombian Artist Celebrates Immigrant Stories in New Pittsfield Mural

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
06:49AM / Saturday, October 24, 2026

Artist Laura Barrios explains the  inspiration of the mural, of immigrants building new lives in the Berkshires.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The walls along the Intermodal Center's train platform are a little more colorful following the unveiling of Let It Shine's third mural at that location, transforming a space once surrounded by bare concrete into a vibrant display of public art.

 

The unveiling on Thursday, marks the close of Let It Shine's 2026 outdoor public art season and the third year of its emerging artist program, said Mill Town Foundation Program Director Andy Wrba. 

 

Let It Shine's Emerging Artists Mentorship program was established in 2024 to support aspiring artists in the community by providing guidance, hands-on experiences, and opportunities to create large-scale public art.

 

"This mural, along with all the murals, as part of this emerging artist program, and even more broadly, all the murals that you see downtown throughout Pittsfield shows that we care about the cultural scene and we care about the creative people that live and work in our city," Wrba said.

 

The new mural, painted by Colombian artist Laura Barrios, celebrates immigrants who have built lives and found a sense of home in Berkshire County.

 

Barrios has been working on the piece for the last two months alongside mentor artist, Jesse Tobin McCauley. 

 

"It's a homage to the immigrants who work and make a home in the Berkshires … this is a very personal experience too because I am an immigrant," Barrios said in her speech.