The weather in Denver is very unpredictable. A quiet spring afternoon can suddenly turn into a big storm accompanied by:
- High winds
- Heavy snow
- Hail strikes.
So what happens next? The trees that have not been well-maintained are the ones that give out.
So how do you identify the risks inyour own yard?The following are some of the most frequent causes of tree falls during storms:
Structural weakness from previous damage
Many trees that fall during storms were already structurally unsound before the occurence. You can tell this by the:
- Signs of past storm damage
- Improper pruning cuts that did not heal properly
- Other old wounding of the trunk or major branches.
All thesecause internal decay. It is not seen from the outside until a tree is already down.
As decay progresses, it eats away the structural integrity of a tree gradually. A tree may appear solid on the outside. But have very little strength on the inside.
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Routine professional examination of older trees is important. It helps uncover these latent tree issues before they become a storm season liability.
Overgrown and unpruned canopies
A dense, unpruned canopy captures a lot more wind load. But a well-pruned canopy allows natural circulation.
Regular tree trimming Denver helps minimize this wind resistance by removing unnecessary growth that does not add structural support.
An unpruned tree and a properly pruned tree will react to wind events in very different ways. One of the two will still be alive the next morning.
Root system failure
The strength of a tree to resist the force of a storm is as much from its roots as from its branches and leaves. However, some factors weaken the anchor that holds a tree up under load. They include:
- Any soil compaction that prevents the roots from spreading
- Any damage to roots from construction activity close to the tree
- Any saturated soil that can’t grip trees during wet weather
- Any root rot from fungal disease.
Many times, trees that have been weakened by root systems are well in condition. Until a large wind event reveals the weakness by lifting the entire root plate out of the ground.
A very common cause of root system failure is girdling roots. That is, roots that encircle the base of the trunk instead of growing out.
Co-dominant stems with bark included
Sometimes, two or more major branches can grow upward from the same spot on the trunk at about equal size. The result is a junction where bark remains stuck between them rather than producing a solid union. This is known as a co-dominant stem.
Because of this integrated bark, a structurally weak spot is created that is likely to crack under load. This is precisely the kind of load that a strong Denver storm brings.
This risk is greatly decreased by identifying and correcting co-dominant stems through corrective pruning when trees are young.
Final thoughts
Tree failure caused by storms always stems from observable structural or maintenance issues that could have been fixed before the storm. You can prevent such issues through:
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- Proactive evaluation
- Regular trimming
- Attention to root health
- Knowledge of the species-specific vulnerabilities.
Always engage an arborist if you notice any unusual tree symptoms.
