Berkshire County, Massachusetts Hurricane History
Since 1861, 16 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Berkshire County, Massachusetts — about one every 10.3 years. Of those, 3 were at hurricane strength at their closest approach. The most recent was Henri (2021), which passed 41 miles away on 23 August 2021.
Storm tracks within 50 miles
How strong they get
Key facts
- Most recentHenri (2021) — 41 mi away, 23 August 2021
- Strongest stormUnnamed Storm (1938) — 86 kt (99 mph) at its strongest within 50 miles
- Closest pass on recordUnnamed Storm (1893) — 1.2 miles
- Closest major hurricane (Cat 3+)None on record
- Passes within 25 miles7 of 16
- Peak monthAugust — 9 storms (56% of all)
- Most active year1893 — 2 storms
- Most active decade1860s, 1890s, 1970s and 2020s — 2 storms
- Major hurricanes (Cat 3+) within 50 mi0
- Record span1861–2021
When storms arrive
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Activity by decade
| 1860s | 1870s | 1880s | 1890s | 1900s | 1910s | 1920s | 1930s | 1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
Every tropical or subtropical cyclone within 50 miles
| Storm | Closest approach | Distance | Status | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Henri (2021) | 23 Aug 2021 | 40.6 mi | TS / TD | 29 kt |
| Isaias (2020) | 4 Aug 2020 | 45.3 mi | TS / TD | 50 kt |
| Irene (2011) | 28 Aug 2011 | 10.7 mi | TS / TD | 50 kt |
| Beryl (1994) | 18 Aug 1994 | 41.8 mi | TS / TD | 15 kt |
| Gloria (1985) | 27 Sep 1985 | 39.0 mi | Cat 1 | 75 kt |
| Belle (1976) | 10 Aug 1976 | 35.1 mi | TS / TD | 39 kt |
| Doria (1971) | 28 Aug 1971 | 22.4 mi | TS / TD | 45 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1968) | 11 Sep 1968 | 23.2 mi | TS / TD | 52 kt |
| Able (1952) | 2 Sep 1952 | 20.1 mi | TS / TD | 45 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1949) | 29 Aug 1949 | 44.3 mi | TS / TD | 47 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1938) | 21 Sep 1938 | 24.6 mi | Cat 1 | 73 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1893) | 29 Aug 1893 | 1.2 mi | TS / TD | 54 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1893) | 24 Aug 1893 | 10.4 mi | Cat 1 | 65 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1876) | 19 Sep 1876 | 25.3 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1863) | 19 Sep 1863 | 29.4 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1861) | 28 Sep 1861 | 40.7 mi | TS / TD | 50 kt |
Post-tropical and extratropical passes
A further 9 systems passed within 50 miles after losing tropical characteristics. These are excluded from the counts above because they were no longer tropical cyclones at their closest approach — but several were highly damaging, so they are listed here. Showing the 8 most recent.
| Storm | Status | Closest approach | Distance | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fred (2021) | Post-tropical | 19 Aug 2021 | 22.9 mi | 25 kt |
| Fay (2020) | Remnant low | 11 Jul 2020 | 45.3 mi | 28 kt |
| Florence (2018) | Post-tropical | 18 Sep 2018 | 12.6 mi | 25 kt |
| Gracie (1959) | Post-tropical | 1 Oct 1959 | 24.5 mi | 25 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1945) | Post-tropical | 19 Sep 1945 | 34.2 mi | 26 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1924) | Post-tropical | 1 Oct 1924 | 14.2 mi | 55 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1899) | Post-tropical | 1 Nov 1899 | 17.4 mi | 45 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1878) | Post-tropical | 24 Oct 1878 | 25.0 mi | 58 kt |
How Berkshire County, Massachusetts compares
Among the 2,208 U.S. counties and county-equivalents that have recorded at least one tropical cyclone within 50 miles, Berkshire County, Massachusetts ranks #947 — more exposed than 57.1% of them. Within Massachusetts it ranks #14 of 14, against a state average of 24.3 storms per county.
Notable storms
- Cat 2 Unnamed Storm (1938) passed 25 miles away on 21 September 1938 as a hurricane, reaching 86 kt (99 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 1 Gloria (1985) passed 39 miles away on 27 September 1985 as a hurricane, reaching 75 kt (86 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 1 Unnamed (August 1893) passed 10 miles away on 24 August 1893 as a hurricane, reaching 67 kt (77 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Unnamed (August 1893) passed 1 miles away on 29 August 1893 as a tropical storm, reaching 55 kt (63 mph) while within 50 miles.
14 of the 16 storms made a documented landfall somewhere along their track.
How often to expect a storm
A return interval of 10.3 years does not mean storms arrive on a schedule. It is simply 16 storms spread over the 165 years from 1861 to 2025. 1 separate year saw more than one storm pass within 50 miles while decades have gone by with none. The longest recorded quiet stretch was 45 years, between 1893 and 1938. It has been 4 years since the last one; 10 of the 14 gaps in this record were longer than that.
Common questions
How many hurricanes have hit Berkshire County, Massachusetts?
3 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Berkshire County, Massachusetts at hurricane strength since 1861. Counting all tropical cyclones — including tropical storms and depressions — the total is 16.
When was the last hurricane in Berkshire County, Massachusetts?
Gloria (1985), on 27 September 1985, passing 39 miles away — 41 years ago. The most recent tropical cyclone of any strength was Henri (2021) in 2021.
What was the strongest storm to affect Berkshire County, Massachusetts?
Unnamed Storm (1938), which reached 86 kt (99 mph) while within 50 miles; its closest approach was 25 miles.
How often do hurricanes hit Berkshire County, Massachusetts?
On average, one tropical cyclone passes within 50 miles every 10.3 years — 16 storms over the 165 years from 1861 to 2025, the end of the HURDAT2 record. That is a historical average, not a schedule or a forecast.
Nearby counties
Berkshire County, Massachusetts borders or sits close to 7 other counties with a published storm record. Hampden County, Massachusetts has 26 on record.