The stormy season is right around the corner and this year it could be a rough one. Keeping yourself, your family, and your home safe from harm during a storm is paramount. Unfortunately, the trees on your property can be a major safety hazard.

Trees can be severely damaged and even killed during a storm, depending on a number of factors. Rain, lightning, and heavy wind can all be huge risk factors for tree damage.

El Niño Preventative Measures

Having the trees on your property assessed by a certified arborist in advance of bad weather is the most effective way of preventing unnecessary damage. It’s possible to both save the tree and protect your property by having an inspection performed.

Preventative pruning can be especially effective at mitigating potential damage to and from a tree. Unsafe (rotting, imbalanced, and too heavy) limbs can be identified and then removed prior to storms. At-risk limbs are the main source of danger from a tree, and any tree specialist can easily identify and remove them.

Pruning of the canopy helps to reduce the overall wind resistance of the tree, significantly reducing the wind’s negative effects and increasing the safety of the tree. Canopy damage is one of the most common types of damage to a tree during heavy winds.

Contact a Tree Specialist Before it’s too Late!

Remember, nearly all potential threats from a tree are predictable. Tree specialists can determine your tree’s overall health and its risks for catastrophic failure. Only a certified arborist can help you make your tree as safe as possible for the coming stormy months.

The exceedingly dangerous combination of prolonged drought and a stormy El Niño season means that it’s more important than ever to get your tree inspected. Your tree could already be under drought stress, weakening its structure significantly. Make sure to get your trees inspected before the season starts!