Arborist: Why more trees uprooted than snapped during Wednesday’s severe storms
Cleanup continues after Wednesday night’s destructive storms raced through the region.
Widespread damage was reported in Spring and The Woodlands, as whipping winds toppled dozens of trees, as captured by Sky 2.
“This is the kind of damage we expect whenever we arrive at a Category 3 hurricane,” ArborTrue owner Brad Phillips said.
His disaster response company surveyed damage throughout the day on Thursday, noticing more trees uprooted than toppled.
“The cycle of floods and droughts that we’ve had over the last few years has caused a tremendous amount of root rot on the trees and has made them much more susceptible to falling over unexpectedly,” Phillips said. “When you have a shrunken soil and then it rapidly expands, you’re going to get what we call really loose alluvial soils, and that’s going to cause of trees to uproot whenever the wind blows.”
Near the intersection of Cypresswood and Whitewood, more trees were down as crews repaired busted stoplights.
It’s the same intersection where a tree toppled during a storm last month, killing a woman who was driving during a freak accident.
Power lines were still down in some places Thursday, and CenterPoint reported customers without power would likely remain without power overnight as crews continued damage assessments.
#HOU: Efforts continue around the clock to clear debris from power lines, make repairs & restore power. While crews have made significant progress, we anticipate customers who are currently out will likely remain without power overnight. 1/3 — CenterPoint Energy Alerts (@CNPalerts) June 23, 2023
At Hooks Airport near Tomball, damaging winds flipped a plane upside down.
Plane flipped at Hooks Airport (KPRC 2 viewer)
Off Old Ox Road in Spring, a tree split a home in half. The homeowner, his wife, and their two young children hid together in one room of the house just before the tree crashed down.
“I heard a big boom and then another one that was a tree coming down...debris was everywhere,” the homeowner told KPRC 2. “It was God giving me the instinct, giving me the wisdom and the understanding to move your family.”
Protecting your home from tree damage
Phillips said the best proactive measure is to have a certified arborist inspect your property annually.
“They can help you understand what your risks are when they inspect your trees,” Phillips said.
He recommended homeowners keep an eye out for mushrooms growing on the base of trees and to be careful using weed killers that could cause damage to a tree’s root system.
“At the last minute, the best thing you can do is protect your personal safety,” he said.
Source: KPRC Click2Houston
