Arrival of Climate Crisis in MA as Rain, Flooding Add to Series of Extreme Weather Events

The above normal rainfall last month in Massachusetts brought with it two sides of a coin. It brought an end to the mild drought in the Western and Cape Cod areas of the state. But it also added one more occurrence in a series of extreme weather events this year that signals climate change's arrival in Massachusetts.

"The climate crisis is very much here," said Massachusetts Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) Secretary Rebecca Tepper, referencing the switch from drought conditions to "a week of devastating floods" in the state.

The rainfall in June lifted Western and Cape Cod regions out of mild drought status, and no part of the state is currently experiencing drought, said Secretary  Tepper in a press release on Friday, July 14, 2023. 

But July's rainfall in Massachusetts adds to the series of extreme weather events this year. The Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) gives as examples:

• In February, the state experienced subzero temperatures, resulting in the destruction of peaches and other pitted fruit crops. 

• In May, a late frost lasting three days caused "significant losses to blueberry, strawberry, and apple crops."

• Heavy storms in July have impacted at least 75 farms, resulting in over 1,000 acres of crop losses. That number is expected to climb as MDAR officials make progress in their assessments and visit farms in Deerfield, Florence, Hadley, Sunderland, and Whately.

The beginning of this week of Sunday, July 16, 2023 has brought additional forecasts of torrential rains in some areas like Fall River, and threat of flooding and tornadoes. As it did for much of the state, rain fell throughout the day in Westwood and surrounding areas, and the National Weather Service announced a flood watch in effect through 2:00 a.m. on Monday, July 17th.

Around 8:30 p.m. on Sunday evening, NWS Boston noted that maximum rain rates continued at about 1 inch per hour in an area of rain moving into Cape Cod and the Islands.

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