Tree Storm Damage - Evaluating a Storm Damaged Tree

Hundreds of thousands of shade and street trees in the United States are storm damaged by wind, ice and lightning each year. Estimates of property value loss from tree storm damage can approach one billion dollars annually depending on how severe the weather is. There are ways to help you quickly understand and prevent costly storm damage to trees. There are no real "cures" here outside of proper planting, prevention measures and treatment.

Trees biologically adapt themselves to wind and ice if these destructive agents are part of an average annual growing season. Under normal weather conditions, trees sway in the wind and these movements strengthen the woody material developing the stem. This development is especially important on the prevailing wind side for hardwoods and opposite the wind side for conifers.

It is the abnormal weather condition and storm that damages and potentially kills trees. There is just no way to protect all trees from all types of storm damage. Trees simply are not adapted to survive worst-case storms.

Storm damage to trees usually comes in six ways - via blow-down, stem failure, crown twist, root failure, branch failure and lightning strike. Total tree collapse, crown twist and lightning strike are considered catastrophic tree events that need immediate and proper attention. Root failure, branch failure and stem failure are more subtle and can take years to kill the tree. There are ways to minimize the damage from each of these types of storm damage so follow the links.