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.

Pittsfield Remembers Lives Lost to Overdose, Underscores Harm Reduction

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
05:33AM / Tuesday, September 01, 2026

Mayor Peter Marchetti reads a proclamation at City Hall encouraging residents to raise awareness and lift each other up. 

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Dozens of people gathered downtown on Monday to remember those lost to overdose and work toward a future of zero deaths from substance use disorder. 

The Berkshire Overdose and Addiction Prevention Collaborative and its partners held a proclamation reading and flag-raising at City Hall, followed by a standout in Park Square with signs promoting the use of naloxone, harm reduction, and reducing associated stigma. 

There were 23 fatal overdoses in Berkshire County in 2025, 11 in Pittsfield. This is down 44 percent from the 41 countywide fatalities in 2024. 

While it is a significant decrease, advocates want to see that number at zero. 

"On the one hand, we're very pleased to see this significant of a decrease. This is actually the lowest number that we've had since [Department of Public Health] started collecting these numbers in 2013, but the goal is still zero," said Andy Ottoson, public health planner with the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission. 

August is International Overdose Awareness Month, the world's largest annual campaign to end overdose, remember those lost without stigma, and acknowledge the grief of families and friends left behind. September is National Recovery Month, a national observance to educate the public on the importance of substance use treatment and mental health services.

Samantha Kendall of Berkshire Harm Reduction explained that it is truly meeting people where they are, as they are, and when they are, "and I think we all do a really great job at that."

"We also want to remember that we're building a community for everybody, and systems and policies for everybody. That's really important in harm reduction work, so that's also the reason we're here today," she said.