{"id":41312,"date":"2026-05-01T13:24:38","date_gmt":"2026-05-01T17:24:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/fnr\/extension\/?p=41312"},"modified":"2026-05-01T13:33:27","modified_gmt":"2026-05-01T17:33:27","slug":"spring-storms-are-coming-how-to-reduce-tree-damage-and-risk","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/fnr\/extension\/spring-storms-are-coming-how-to-reduce-tree-damage-and-risk\/","title":{"rendered":"Spring Storms Are Coming: How to Reduce Tree Damage and Risk"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/fnr\/extension\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/treeDamage.jpeg\" data-rel=\"lightbox-image-0\" data-rl_title=\"treeDamage\" data-rl_caption=\"treeDamage\" title=\"treeDamage\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright wp-image-17380\" src=\"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/fnr\/extension\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/treeDamage.jpeg\" alt=\"treeDamagePic\" width=\"250\" height=\"250\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/fnr\/extension\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/treeDamage.jpeg 250w, https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/fnr\/extension\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/treeDamage-200x200.jpeg 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 250px) 100vw, 250px\" \/><\/a><\/strong>With storm season just around the corner, one topic of concern on many minds is damage to and from trees. Depending on the intensity of the storms and the condition of the trees, damage from high winds, heavy rainfall, and lightning can be quite severe. Cracked or broken branches, stem failure, and root failure are some of the main concerns, but also the risk and liability of damage to people and property.<\/p>\n<p>If your tree is damaged, there are some steps to deal with the situation. First and foremost, consider the safety of yourself and others around you. Inspect the tree from a distance first looking for the following:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Heaving of the ground indicating potential root failure<\/li>\n<li>Damage to limbs and\/or the trunk of the tree<\/li>\n<li>Hanging branches can fall to the ground resulting in injury or death<\/li>\n<li>Be aware of utility and power lines. Trees can become charged by coming in contact with live wires. All utility lines should be considered energized and dangerous.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>If you find your trees damaged from a storm hiring an International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) Certified Arborist to perform a risk assessment will help guide your decision of how to manage your tree. To find an arborist near you and verify credentials use the link at <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/z6WZ1kLPLuA\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Find an Arborist<\/a>, Trees are Good, International Society of Arboriculture (ISA). For more information, you can also view <a href=\"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/fnr\/extension\/trees-and-storms-mitigating-the-damage\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Trees and Storms: Understanding Damage, Risk and Recovery<\/a>, an informational Got Nature? Blog article from Purdue Extension.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Resources:<br \/>\n<\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/z6WZ1kLPLuA\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Find an Arborist<\/a> video, Trees are Good-International Society of Arboriculture (ISA)<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/hla\/sites\/yardandgarden\/caring-for-storm-damaged-treeshow-to-acidify-soil-in-the-yard\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Caring for storm-damaged trees\/How to Acidify Soil in the Yard<\/a> \u2013 In the Grow, Purdue Extension<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/fnr\/extension\/tree-risk-management-what-every-property-owner-needs-to-know\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Tree Risk Management<\/a> \u2013 Got Nature? Blog, Purdue Extension \u2013 FNR<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/fnr\/extension\/why-is-my-tree-dying\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Why Is My Tree Dying?<\/a> \u2013 Got Nature? Blog, Purdue Extension \u2013 Forestry and Natural Resources (FNR)<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/fnr\/extension\/mechanical-damage-to-trees-mowing-and-maintenance-equipment\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Mechanical Damage to Trees: Mowing and Maintenance Equipment<\/a>\u00a0\u2013 Got Nature? Blog, Purdue Extension \u2013 FNR<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.edustore.purdue.edu\/item.asp?Item_Number=FNR-512-W\">Trees and Electric Lines<\/a>\u00a0\u2013 The Education Store<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/iIaYvtqY7-I\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Planting Your Tree Part 1: Choosing Your Tree<\/a>, video, Purdue Extension &#8211; FNR YouTube Channel<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/edustore.purdue.edu\/fnr-433-w.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Tree Installation: Process and Practices<\/a>, The Education Store<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/fnr\/extension\/tree-wounds-and-healing\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Tree Wound and Healing<\/a>, Got Nature? Blog, Purdue Extension \u2013 FNR<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@purduefnrextension\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Subscribe<\/a>\u00a0\u2013 Purdue Extension-FNR YouTube Channel<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/indiana-arborist.org\/contact-us\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Lindsey Purcell<\/a>, Executive Director<br \/>\nIndiana Arborist Association<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>With storm season just around the corner, one topic of concern on many minds is damage to and from trees. Depending on the intensity of the storms and the condition of the trees, damage from high winds, heavy rainfall, and lightning can be quite severe. Cracked or broken branches, stem failure, and root failure are [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":62,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[45,53,54,622],"tags":[60,540,981,408,71,72,495],"class_list":["post-41312","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-howto","category-urbanforestry","category-wildlife","category-woodlands","tag-forestry","tag-storms","tag-tree-damage","tag-trees","tag-urban-forestry","tag-wildlife","tag-woodlands","audience-for-enthusiasts","audience-for-homeowners","audience-for-landowners","audience-for-professionals"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/fnr\/extension\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41312","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/fnr\/extension\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/fnr\/extension\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/fnr\/extension\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/62"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/fnr\/extension\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=41312"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/fnr\/extension\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41312\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":41329,"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/fnr\/extension\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41312\/revisions\/41329"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/fnr\/extension\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=41312"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/fnr\/extension\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=41312"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/fnr\/extension\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=41312"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}