Massachusetts avalanche risk
Berkshire County has the highest avalanche risk in Massachusetts, scoring 66.2 out of 100 — rated "Very Low" by FEMA's National Risk Index.
| # | County | NRI score | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Berkshire County | 66.2 | Very Low |
| 2 | Franklin County | 55.3 | Very Low |
| 3 | Hampden County | 38.7 | Very Low |
| 4 | Hampshire County | 27.2 | Very Low |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20.0, December 2025. Scores are 0–100 percentile rankings among all US counties. See the methodology page for definitions. Download the full CSV for all counties.
Avalanche risk nationally:
Other hazard risks in Massachusetts:
Frequently asked questions
What is the highest avalanche risk county in Massachusetts?
Berkshire County, MA has the highest avalanche risk in Massachusetts, with a FEMA National Risk Index score of 66.2 out of 100 (rated "Very Low").
What causes avalanche risk in Massachusetts?
Avalanche risk reflects expected annual losses from snow avalanche events, primarily affecting mountain counties in the West. The highest scores belong to Colorado, Utah, Montana, and Washington counties where active ski terrain, mountain highways, and communities overlap with historically active avalanche paths and high seasonal snowpack. Avalanche events are reported at forecast-zone level in NOAA Storm Events and are not included in county-level counts.