Holden tornado near Connecticut causes damage after Saturday storms

Severe weather barreled through the Northeast on Saturday, slamming the region with damaging winds, heavy rain, and even a tornado just north of the Connecticut border. The worst tornado activity happened in Holden, Massachusetts, but plenty of Connecticut towns took a beating too.

From widespread power outages to reports of big hail, the storm left its mark on communities stretching from Salisbury in the northwest down to Bantam in Litchfield County. Crews are still out there, picking up debris and working on repairs as officials try to get a handle on just how much damage was done.

Find Your Ideal Getaway in Connecticut
Explore top-rated stays with no booking fees and instant confirmation. Your dream trip starts here!
Start Exploring Now

Tornado Confirmed in Central Massachusetts

The National Weather Service (NWS) confirmed by radar that a tornado touched down in Holden, Massachusetts. Holden’s a town of about 20,000 people, sitting only 18 miles north of the Connecticut line.

Weather officials want to analyze the tornado’s path, width, and strength using the Enhanced Fujita Scale. That’ll help them figure out exactly how intense it was.

Survey Delayed by Continued Storms

The NWS had planned to survey the damage in Holden, Berlin, and nearby towns right away. But more storms rolled in and forced them to delay the investigation until Monday.

These follow-up surveys matter for understanding how storms behave and for improving severe weather forecasts in both Massachusetts and Connecticut.

Impact Across Connecticut

Connecticut didn’t see a confirmed tornado, but the state still took a hit. At the peak on Saturday afternoon, more than 7,000 Eversource customers lost power, especially out in western Connecticut.

The outages hit places like Salisbury, Bantam, New Milford, Torrington, and Kent pretty hard.

Hail, High Winds, and Fallen Trees

People in Bantam reported hail at least an inch across. Strong wind gusts knocked down trees and power lines in a bunch of towns, making roads dangerous and slowing down the fix-it process.

In communities like Canaan, Cornwall, and Sharon, tree limbs covered the roads, so emergency crews and public works teams had to jump into action fast.

Unique Challenges for Emergency Responders

In Salisbury, crews ran into a weird problem. Eversource workers had to hike almost two miles to reach a car that got stuck behind fallen wires on a back road.

By the time they got there, others had already freed the driver. It really shows how tricky it can get for responders when storm damage blocks the way.

Power Restoration Efforts

Utility crews worked late into Saturday night and kept going with repairs on Sunday. Towns like Danbury, Ridgefield, and Brookfield had scattered outages, and some folks didn’t get power back until Monday afternoon.

Eversource said they moved quickly in many spots, but some remote areas needed a lot more cleanup before they could safely restore electricity.

Preparing for Future Severe Weather

This round of storms is a good reminder for everyone in Connecticut—from coastal cities like Bridgeport to the backroads of Litchfield County—to stay ready for wild weather. High winds, heavy rain, and the chance of tornadoes mean it pays to have a plan and supplies on hand.

Bring in outdoor furniture and loose stuff when storms are coming.
Charge up your devices so you can stay in touch if the power goes out.
Keep flashlights, batteries, and some non-perishable food where you can grab them fast.
Stay tuned to local news alerts and NWS warnings.

Looking Ahead

Officials plan to release the full tornado survey results early this week. That should finally reveal more about the power and path of Saturday’s storm in Massachusetts.

In Connecticut, residents and local governments are treating the whole experience as a case study in storm preparedness. Some are already tweaking their response plans, just in case.

The summer storm season’s not even close to finished. Communities from Hartford to Waterbury are watching the forecast and getting safety measures in place for whatever comes next.

—

Would you like me to also create a **SEO keyword list** for this article so it ranks better for Connecticut weather-related searches? That could help maximize its local reach.

Here is the source article for this story: Tornado ripped through MA town 18 miles from CT border during Saturday’s storms

Discover Your Perfect Stay in Connecticut
Find available hotels and vacation homes instantly. No fees, best rates guaranteed!
Check Availability Now