Keep people away from it, stay clear of any power lines, and have the tree looked at before anyone tries to cut it. A tree that looks alarming the morning after a storm is not always a lost cause, so it’s worth an assessment before deciding on removal.
Signs a Storm-Damaged Tree Needs Attention
After high winds, hail, or ice, some damage is easy to spot:
- A trunk or major fork that has split open
- Large broken limbs still hanging in the canopy
- Roots or soil lifted on one side of the base
- A lean that wasn’t there before the storm
- Large strips of bark torn away
These are good reasons to get the tree checked soon. They are not, by themselves, proof that the tree must come down.
Stay Clear While You Wait
Hanging limbs can drop without warning, sometimes days after the storm. Keep children, pets, and vehicles out from under the tree. If you can, block off the area with chairs or tape so visitors don’t wander beneath it.
If the tree is touching or near power lines, do not approach it. Call the electric utility and let them handle the lines first.
Write down what you notice over the next few days, too. A crack that grows wider, a lean that increases, or fresh debris on the ground are all useful details to share when someone comes to look at the tree. Photos taken each day from the same spot make changes easier to spot.
Not Every Damaged Tree Has to Go
Texas A&M Forest Service reminds homeowners that storm damage may not be as bad as it first seems. In its guidance after winter storms, it encourages patience and selective pruning, and it notes that the full extent of freeze damage can be hard to judge until after spring green-up.
In many cases, broken branches can be removed and the tree left to recover. In others, the damage to the trunk or roots is severe enough that removal makes more sense. Sorting out which is which takes someone looking at the actual tree.
Deciding What Happens Next
If the tree is threatening your home, blocking access, or hanging over an area you can’t avoid, emergency tree service can help deal with the most urgent hazard first. Less pressing damage, like a single broken branch over the back lawn, can usually be handled at a scheduled visit.
Either way, avoid cutting large damaged limbs yourself. Storm-broken wood can shift, twist, and fall in unexpected ways.
If a storm left a tree on your property looking unstable, call 817-587-4286 to describe the damage and talk through the options before anything is cut.
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