Can Weather Damage Your Trees?
Unfortunately trees are vulnerable to all different types of storm damage. This is actually a major reason that pruning is needed and why trees fall or die. To begin, lets come up with all the different types of weathering which can cause damage.
Heavy Rains & Severe Wind Gusts: Since the two usually go hand in hand, wind is a large factor here when it comes to damage. Heavy winds can knock down branches, limbs or trees that are weak to begin with. Pruning throughout the year is recommended because it gets rid of weak, rubbing, or dead branches. These are all potential liabilities because wind will cause them to rip away from the tree thereby falling and causing havoc.
Snow & Ice: This is a bit more of a subtle culprit. Trees are only meant to take on so much weight. When you have a tree that has not been cared for properly, this will spell trouble. Large amounts of snow that fall as well as ice will gradually weigh down branches and start to affect the structural integrity of a tree. This can cause either large branches to fall or the tree to tip over.
Lightning & Rain: Lightning is a recurring, common cause of tree death. Once a tree is struck by lightning, it immediately vaporizes any liquids inside the tree causing it to explode instantaneously.