Massachusetts residents faced a harrowing afternoon on September 6, 2025, as a powerful line of severe thunderstorms swept across the state, culminating in a confirmed EF1 tornado that touched down in the town of Holden. According to the National Weather Service (NWS), the tornado struck at approximately 4:07 p.m., bringing with it wind speeds estimated between 86 and 110 miles per hour—a force strong enough to uproot trees, damage property, and knock out power to thousands, but, remarkably, resulted in no reported injuries.
The day began with a series of escalating weather alerts. The NWS first issued tornado warnings for east central Worcester County and Central Middlesex County around 4 p.m., cautioning residents that “a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado was located over Holden, or near Worcester, moving east at 40 mph.” Radar indicated rotation, and the warning was clear: “Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. Damage to roofs, windows, and vehicles will occur. Tree damage is likely.”
As the storm system barreled east, it swept through a swath of communities including Worcester, Shrewsbury, Holden, Northborough, Clinton, Lancaster, Sterling, West Boylston, Bolton, and Boylston by 4:10 p.m. Minutes later, it battered Marlborough, Hudson, and Westborough, then Southborough, Stow, and Harvard, and by 4:25 p.m., Framingham, Acton, Sudbury, Maynard, and Boxborough were in its path. The tornado warning for Worcester and nearby communities was lifted at 4:45 p.m., but the damage had already been done.
The NWS later confirmed the tornado’s touchdown in Holden, and announced plans to survey the area’s damage on Monday, September 8, after heavy rain on Sunday delayed their visit. "We want to make sure we take the time to assess all of the storm damage to come up with the best conclusion possible," the NWS Boston office said, as reported by NBC10 Boston.
Images that surfaced in the aftermath painted a vivid picture of the storm’s wrath. In Paxton, just a town over from Holden, trees were “apparently sheared by the storm,” and similar scenes unfolded across the region. In Holyoke, a massive tree was uprooted and fell onto a car, pulling up a section of sidewalk nearly ten feet into the air. Streets in Warren, Southampton, Ashland, and Paxton were closed due to storm damage, and live wires smoked on roads in Warren, compounding the hazards for first responders and residents alike.
Throughout Holden and its neighboring towns, the stories from residents were filled with a mix of shock, gratitude, and disbelief. John Peden of Holden recounted to NBC10 Boston, "I’ve never been in a situation like this. It happened so quickly." His neighbor, described as “the sweetest woman in the world,” suffered a tree crashing through her roof, a terrifying experience she described: "All of a sudden a tremendous bang and a tree broken came through the roof and through the dining room ceiling." Despite the destruction, she, like many others, expressed relief that no one was hurt.
Mary Maloney of Paxton shared her own ordeal: "The ceiling above the window broke open and that’s when the boom of the house just shook from the tree landing on it so then we just ran downstairs." Her home was left with a torn-up master bedroom, cracked living room walls, and ceilings, but she considered herself fortunate. "I don’t know how any of us weren’t hurt. We’re really lucky."
Stow, too, was not spared. There, the storm left a trail of devastation, flattening trees for hundreds of yards and leaving live wires that kept residents without power through the night. Megan Birch-McMichael, whose birthday was upended by the chaos, described the surreal aftermath: "We actually have windows in our backyard that do not belong to us so it will be interesting to see. Like I know there is a lot of damage down the street. So we were like huh that siding is not ours." Despite the ruined plans, she found a silver lining: "We just picked up a pizza and a bottle of wine so that will be my happy birthday. Kids are at their friends’ houses with power for the night so we’re grateful for all of that."
On a family farm near Holden, the storm’s fury was evident as hundreds of feet of fence line were flattened, sheds flipped, and trees uprooted, temporarily setting more than a dozen cows free. "We were able to rustle up our cows," said Joe Cacciatore, while Marcia Cloutier added, "Didn’t find that goat! I’m not going to talk about it but — yeah it’s probably hiding." Like so many others, they were left without power but were making the best of it, grateful for their safety.
Holden itself bore the brunt of the tornado’s direct hit. Bill Trutor, a resident, described the scene as he raked debris in his yard on Putnam Road: "I’m not sure a human has seen it," he joked about the tornado, but admitted the branches were swaying "like I’ve never seen before." He and his wife took shelter in their basement as the storm raged. On Bailey Road, Maria Gallagher stood outside her mother’s home, surveying the toppled oaks that covered the front yard. "It’s so scary. I feel blessed that nothing hit the house," she told the Telegram & Gazette. Her family, like so many others, now faces a long cleanup.
The tornado and storms also disrupted community events and local life. The Pride Worcester festival on Worcester Common was paused, Breakaway Mass at the Worcester Palladium was delayed, and the Worcester Red Sox game scheduled for Saturday night was postponed, with a doubleheader set for the following day.
The impact on infrastructure was widespread. At the storm’s peak, 2,647 customers lost power, according to National Grid’s outage map. That number had dropped to 148 by 9:30 p.m., but the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency reported that more than 2,200 customers were still without power by 10:30 a.m. the next day, down from nearly 9,000 at 6 p.m. on Saturday. The process of restoring power and clearing debris was ongoing across the affected towns.
Despite the widespread destruction—downed trees, damaged roofs, cracked ceilings, and uprooted lives—the most remarkable outcome was that no injuries were reported. Residents expressed a deep sense of gratitude and resilience. As Mary Maloney put it, “None of that matters because it can all be fixed.” The community’s response, from neighbors checking on each other to families making the best of ruined plans, underscored a spirit of unity amid adversity.
As the NWS prepares its final assessment of the tornado’s path and power, Massachusetts is left to pick up the pieces. The memory of September 6, 2025, will linger in toppled trees, patched roofs, and stories of close calls—reminders of nature’s force and the fortune of escaping unharmed.
