An upper level disturbance moved across the region during the afternoon hours and triggered isolated thunderstorms over Berkshire County.
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Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
The episode as NWS ALY wrote it up.
An upper level disturbance moved across the region during the afternoon hours and triggered isolated thunderstorms over Berkshire County.
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Albany, NY wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Aug 12, 12:40 PM EST, 30 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY 140 PM EDT WED AUG 12 2009 .SYNOPSIS... AN UPPER LEVEL SYSTEM WILL GRADUALLY MOVE EASTWARD ACROSS THE REGION THROUGH THURSDAY. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED MAINLY DURING THE AFTERNOON INTO THE EVENING. THE BETTER CHANCES FOR STORMS WILL BE TODAY. HIGH PRESSURE WILL BEGIN TO BUILD IN THURSDAY NIGHT AND SHOULD DOMINATE OUR WEATHER INTO THE WEEKEND WITH ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES EXPECTED. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... POSITIVELY TILTED UPPER LEVEL TROUGH WILL GRADUALLY MOVE EASTWARD TODAY. MODELS ARE IN FAIRLY GOOD AGREEMENT HANDLING TROUGH WITH THE TROUGH AXIS REACHING THE APPALACHIANS BY THIS EVENING. SHORT WAVE ASSOCIATED WITH TROUGH WILL ELONGATE THIS AFTERNOON UNDER TROUGH AXIS. WITH HEATING AIRMASS WILL DESTABILIZE TODAY. DEW POINTS CURRENTLY IN THE 60S WILL RISE A COUPLE/FEW DEGREES AND ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN IN THE 60S. NOT EXPECTING SEVERE STORMS...WIND FIELD WEAK. BUFKIT INDICATES A STORM MOTION OF ONLY AROUND 15 KNOTS. PRECIPITABLE WATER LEVELS ALREADY HIGH 1.44 INCHES FROM KALY 00Z/WED SOUNDING...SO HEAVY DOWNPOURS POSSIBLE CAUSING LOCALIZED FLOODING PROBLEMS. LOOKED HIGH RESOLUTION MODELS TO EXAMINE WHEN CONVECTION SHOULD BEGIN. THE 4.0 KM WRF-NMM FOR SPC INDICATES CONVECTION INITIATES EARLY THIS AFTERNOON. THE LOCALLY RUN HIRESWRF INITIATES CONVECTION INITIALLY ACROSS THE HIGHER TERRAIN BY LATE MORNING WITH CONVECTION. DECIDED TO GRADUALLY INCREASE POPS THROUGH THE MORNING INTO THE AFTERNOON EVENTUALLY GOING TO LIKELY POPS FOR THE MID AFTERNOON INTO EARLY EVENING HOURS WHEN CHANCES ARE BEST FOR CONVECTION. && .SHORT TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT/... TROUGH AXIS MOVES OVER REGION TONIGHT AND BEGINS TO WEAKEN WITH HEIGHTS BEGINNING TO RISE THURSDAY. THE PROCESS WILL BE RATHER SLOW AND MAY TAKE INTO FRIDAY. IN ADDITION...A WAVE OF LOW PRESSURE WILL MOVE EASTWARD ALONG STALLED FRONTAL BOUNDARY OVER DELMARVA. THIS WILL KEEP A CONTINUED THREAT FOR CONVECTION MAINLY SOUTH AND EAST OF THE CAPITAL DISTRICT ESPECIALLY FOR THURSDAY AFTERNOON. RIDGING ALOFT WILL REALLY GET GOING ON FRIDAY WITH ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES EXPECTED. NORMAL FOR ALBANY FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR...HIGH AROUND 80 DEGREES WITH A LOW IN THE UPPER 50S. && .LONG TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... THE DOMINANT FEATURE DURING THIS PERIOD IS HIGH PRESSURE BOTH AT THE SURFACE AND ALOFT IN THE ATLANTIC JUST OFF THE EAST COAST...ALMOST A CLASSIC BERMUDA HIGH. THE BIG QUESTION REGARDS THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY BETWEEN A TROPICAL AND SULTRY AIR MASS TO THE SOUTH AND A SOMEWHAT COOLER AND DRIER ONE OVER THE NORTHEASTERN STATES. THE CIRCULATION AROUND THE WEST SIDE OF THE BERMUDA HIGH WILL GRADUALLY PUSH SOME OF THE SULTRY AIR NORTHWARD INTO THE MID ATLANTIC STATES BY LATE SUNDAY AND INTO OUR ZONES SUNDAY NIGHT OR MONDAY. THIS WILL RESULT IN A SLIGHT CHANCE SHOWERS SUNDAY NIGHT AND A SLIGHT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS MONDAY INTO TUESDAY. TEMPERATURES WILL BE ABOVE NORMAL FOR MUCH OF THIS PERIOD WITH HIGHS IN THE MID TO UPPER 80S AND LOWS GENERALLY IN THE 50S AND LOW 60S...ABOUT 4 TO 8 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL FOR THIS TIME OF THE YEAR. && .AVIATION /18Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... THIS AFTERNOON...SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS HAVE DEVELOPED OVER THE HIGHER TERRAIN IN THE BERKSHIRES/GREEN MOUNTAINS AND ARE NOW BEGINNING TO DEVELOP ACROSS THE ADIRONDACKS/CATSKILLS. THESE STORMS ARE NEARLY STATIONARY AND ARE NOT EXPECTED TO AFFECT ANY TERMINALS THROUGH THIS EVENING...HOWEVER HAVE INCLUDED CB AT ALL TERMINALS DUE TO RISK OF CONVECTIVE CLOUDS. OVERNIGHT...FOG/LOW STRATUS WILL AGAIN BE AN ISSUE FOR KGFL. AROUND 06Z FOG MAY REDUCE VSBYS/CIGS TO IFR AND BY 09Z VSBYS/CIGS MAY BE REDUCED TO LIFR. AT KALB...FOG MAY FORM BY 06Z AND REDUCE VSBYS/CIGS TO MVFR. AT KPOU...LOW STRATUS WILL BE AN ISSUE WITH A SURFACE LOW OFF THE NJ COAST BRINGING THE CHANCE FOR LIGHT RAIN. FOR NOW HAVE INCLUDED LOW CIGS/BR AND HAVE NOT MENTIONED RAIN DUE TO LOW CONFIDENCE. BY 12-13Z FOG/LOW STRATUS WILL LIFT AND CONDITIONS WILL IMPROVE TO VFR. WINDS WILL BE NORTHEAST AT 5-10 MPH AT KGFL...NORTHWEST AT 5-10 FOR KALB...AND SOUTHEAST AT 5-10 FOR KPOU THROUGH THIS EVENING. OVERNIGHT WINDS WILL BE CALM OR LIGHT AND VARIABLE. BY MORNING WINDS WILL BE OUT OF THE NORTHEAST AT 5-10. OUTLOOK... THU...VFR...CHANCE SHRA/TSRA SOUTH AND EAST OF ALB. FRI-SUN...MAINLY VFR...NO SIG WX. && .FIRE WEATHER... AN UPPER LEVEL SYSTEM WILL GRADUALLY MOVE EASTWARD ACROSS THE REGION THROUGH THURSDAY. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED MAINLY DURING THE AFTERNOON INTO EVENING HOURS. THE BETTER CHANCES FOR STORMS WILL BE TODAY. HIGH PRESSURE WILL BEGIN TO BUILD IN THURSDAY NIGHT AND SHOULD DOMINATE OUR WEATHER INTO THE WEEKEND WITH ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES EXPECTED. RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES WILL ONLY LOWER TO 60 TO 70 PERCENT THIS AFTERNOON AND WILL RECOVER TO NEAR 100 PERCENT TONIGHT. RELATIVE HUMIDITY LEVELS WILL LOWER TO 50 TO 70 PERCENT THURSDAY AFTERNOON. LIGHT NORTH TO NORTHEAST WINDS WILL SHIFT AND BECOME SOUTHEASTERLY THIS AFTERNOON. LIGHT WINDS WILL DIMINISH THIS EVENING...WITH A LIGHT EASTERLY FLOW EXPECTED TO DEVELOP ON THURSDAY. && .HYDROLOGY... A PASSING UPPER TROF IS EXPECTED TO SET OFF SOME SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TODAY...ESPECIALLY IN THE AFTERNOON...WITH PLENTY OF MOISTURE STILL AVAILABLE...MODEL SOUNDINGS INDICATED PWAT VALUES OF AROUND 1.5 INCHES FOR ALBANY. THUS LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL WILL BE POSSIBLE WHICH WILL CAUSE PONDING OF WATER ON ROADS AND PARKING AREAS AND RAPID RISES ON STREAMS AND SMALLER RIVERS. WIDESPREAD HEAVY RAIN IS NOT EXPECTED SO THE LARGER RIVERS ARE LIKELY TO NOT SEE MUCH CHANGE. ONCE THIS TROF MOVES THROUGH THE REGION TODAY THE WEATHER WILL BE DRY AND GET FAIRLY WARM AGAIN AS A BERMUDA TYPE HIGH BECOMES ESTABLISHED OFF THE SOUTHEAST COAST. EVENTUALLY HUMID TROPICAL AIR WILL WORK ITS WAY INTO THE REGION FROM A SOUTHERLY CIRCULATION WITH PWAT VALUES APPROACHING 2 INCHES BY TUESDAY EVENING...WITH AN INCREASING CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THE FIRST PART OF NEXT WEEK. FOR DETAILS ON SPECIFIC AREA RIVERS AND LAKES...INCLUDING OBSERVED AND FORECAST RIVER STAGES AND LAKE ELEVATIONS...PLEASE VISIT THE ADVANCED HYDROLOGIC PREDICTION SERVICE /AHPS/ GRAPHS ON OUR WEBSITE. && .ALY WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... CT...NONE. NY...NONE. MA...NONE. VT...NONE. && SYNOPSIS...IAA NEAR TERM...IAA SHORT TERM...IAA LONG TERM...RCK AVIATION...KREKELER FIRE WEATHER...IAA HYDROLOGY...RCK
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY 508 AM EDT WED AUG 12 2009 CTZ001-013-MAZ001-025-NYZ040>043-047>054-058>061-063>066-083-084- VTZ013>015-131100- NORTHERN LITCHFIELD-SOUTHERN LITCHFIELD-NORTHERN BERKSHIRE- SOUTHERN BERKSHIRE-MONTGOMERY-NORTHERN SARATOGA-NORTHERN WARREN- NORTHERN WASHINGTON-SCHOHARIE-WESTERN SCHENECTADY- EASTERN SCHENECTADY-SOUTHERN SARATOGA-WESTERN ALBANY-EASTERN ALBANY- WESTERN RENSSELAER-EASTERN RENSSELAER-WESTERN GREENE-EASTERN GREENE- WESTERN COLUMBIA-EASTERN COLUMBIA-WESTERN ULSTER-EASTERN ULSTER- WESTERN DUTCHESS-EASTERN DUTCHESS-SOUTHEAST WARREN- SOUTHERN WASHINGTON-BENNINGTON-WESTERN WINDHAM-EASTERN WINDHAM- 508 AM EDT WED AUG 12 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE CAPITAL DISTRICT...LAKE GEORGE SARATOGA REGION...EASTERN CATSKILLS...MID HUDSON VALLEY...TACONICS...BERKSHIRES...LICHFIELS COUNTY AND SOUTHERN VERMONT. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. THERE IS A CHANCE FOR NON SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS TODAY AND TONIGHT...ESPECIALLY DURING THE AFTERNOON INTO THE EVENING. THE STORMS WILL MOVE RATHER SLOWLY AND SOME MAY PRODUCE HEAVY RAINFALL WHICH COULD LEAD TO LOCALIZED URBAN AND OR SMALL STREAM FLOODING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. THERE IS A CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS THURSDAY...ESPECIALLY DURING THE AFTERNOON. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. NYZ032-033-038-039-082-131100- NORTHERN HERKIMER-HAMILTON-SOUTHERN HERKIMER-SOUTHERN FULTON- NORTHERN FULTON- 508 AM EDT WED AUG 12 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE WESTERN ADIRONDACKS AND MOHAWK VALLEY. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. THERE IS A CHANCE FOR NON SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS TODAY AND TONIGHT...ESPECIALLY THIS AFTERNOON. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE THURSDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY 148 PM EDT WED AUG 12 2009 MAZ001-025-121845- SOUTHERN BERKSHIRE MA-NORTHERN BERKSHIRE MA- 148 PM EDT WED AUG 12 2009 ...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM IN CENTRAL BERKSHIRE COUNTY IN WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS...THIS INCLUDES THE CITY OF PITTSFIELD... AT 146 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING...AROUND HALF INCH HAIL...WINDS AROUND 55 MPH...AND VERY HEAVY RAIN. THIS STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR PITTSFIELD...OR ABOUT OVER PITTSFIELD...AND MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 10 MPH. THE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR... LENOX BY 200 PM EDT 7 MILES NORTHEAST OF LEE BY 220 PM EDT THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM. PEOPLE OUTSIDE SHOULD MOVE TO A SHELTER... PREFERABLY INSIDE A STRONG BUILDING BUT AWAY FROM WINDOWS. IN ADDITION...LOCALIZED FLOODING MAY OCCUR. BGM
The Albany radar (KENX), 66 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 18:09 UTC.
1 thunderstorm wind, 1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Three trees were reported down in Pittsfield due to strong thunderstorm winds. One tree fell on a house on Barker Road.
South Street, Route 7 and 20, in Pittsfield at the Lenox line was closed due to high water. A person was trapped in a vehicle in water estimated at a depth of 12 to 18 inches.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Massachusetts in 2009Every state in 2009This day in weather historyWarnings in Massachusetts, August 2009
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 186669, 186671.