You Can Often See It Coming

Every storm season in West Michigan, we get calls from homeowners staring at a tree that just came through their roof, took out their fence, or blocked their driveway. And more often than not, the signs were there before the storm hit.

We're not saying every tree failure is predictable. Wind does what it wants. But after years of climbing, cutting, and cleaning up after severe weather across the Kentwood and Greater Grand Rapids area, our crew can tell you — most of the trees that fail in storms were showing warning signs months or even years ahead of time.

Here are the five things we look for when a homeowner asks whether a tree is safe.

1. A Visible Lean That Wasn't There Before

Trees don't grow perfectly vertical, and a natural lean isn't automatically a problem. Plenty of healthy trees grow at an angle and stay that way for decades.

What we're concerned about is a new lean — a tree that's shifted recently. The tell-tale signs include:

  • Soil heaving or cracking on the side opposite the lean
  • Exposed roots lifting out of the ground
  • A gap between the root flare and the soil on the tension side

A tree that's actively moving is fundamentally different from one that grew into a lean. If you notice the lean is new or getting worse, that's a tree that could come down in the next big wind event — and the direction of that lean tells you exactly where it's headed.

2. Large Dead Branches in the Upper Canopy

Dead wood breaks. It's not a question of if — it's when. And dead branches in the upper canopy have the most potential energy. They fall the farthest, pick up the most speed, and cause the most damage.

From the ground, look up through the canopy for branches that are bare while everything around them is leafed out (in summer) or that have peeling, brittle bark with no live buds (in winter). These are what we call "widow-makers" in the industry for a reason.

The good news: dead wood removal is one of the most straightforward pruning jobs we do. It doesn't require removing the whole tree — just getting the dead material out before gravity and wind do it for you. This is standard deadwood pruning that any certified arborist can handle.

3. A Hollow or Decayed Trunk

Trees are remarkably good at compartmentalizing decay — walling it off and continuing to grow around it. A hollow tree isn't necessarily a doomed tree. We've seen hollow trees stand for decades.

But there's a threshold. When the remaining sound wood (the shell) gets too thin relative to the trunk's diameter, the tree loses structural integrity. A common rule of thumb in arboriculture is that if the remaining sound wood is less than about a third of the trunk radius, the tree's ability to withstand wind loads tends to be significantly compromised.

Signs of trunk decay to watch for:

  • Large fungal fruiting bodies (mushrooms, conks, or shelf fungi) growing on the trunk
  • Soft or spongy bark that gives when you push on it
  • Cavities or open wounds that expose hollow interior
  • Carpenter ant activity — they don't cause decay, but they move into wood that's already compromised

If you're seeing any of these, it's worth having the tree assessed. Our arborists can sometimes use a sounding mallet or resistograph to get a better picture of how much sound wood remains.

4. Codominant Stems with Included Bark

This is the one most homeowners don't know to look for — but it's one of the most common failure patterns we see after storms.

Codominant stems are two main trunks that emerge from roughly the same point. When they grow together tightly, bark can get trapped between them instead of forming a strong branch union. This trapped bark — called included bark — acts as a wedge, preventing the stems from fusing together. Instead of a solid connection, you get a weak point that can split apart under wind load.

Look at where your tree's main trunk divides. If the junction forms a tight V-shape (rather than a wide U-shape), and you can see dark bark creeping up between the stems rather than a ridge of raised bark over the union, that's included bark. This is one of the most common reasons we recommend cabling and bracing — a steel cable installed high in the canopy can help support the weak union and significantly reduce the risk of splitting.

5. Root Damage or Root Zone Disturbance

The root system is a tree's anchor, and it doesn't take much to compromise it. Recent construction, grade changes, new driveways, or even compaction from heavy equipment can damage roots in ways that aren't visible above ground — at least not right away.

Signs the root system may be compromised:

  • Recent construction or excavation within the tree's drip line
  • Mushrooms growing in a ring or arc at the base of the tree (possibly indicating root decay)
  • Crown dieback — the top of the canopy thinning out or dying back — without an obvious above-ground cause
  • The tree has started leaning (see sign #1)

Root failures are among the most dangerous because the entire tree comes down, root ball and all. There's no predicting exactly when, but if the roots are compromised and a storm comes through, the odds go up significantly.

What to Do If You See These Signs

If any of these sound like a tree on your property, don't panic — but don't ignore it either. Not every warning sign means the tree needs to come down. Sometimes the answer is pruning, sometimes cabling, sometimes monitoring. And yes, sometimes removal is the safest call.

The key is getting a professional assessment before the next storm makes the decision for you. Storm damage cleanup is always more expensive, more dangerous, and more destructive than proactive management.

West Michigan storm season typically ramps up in April and runs through September. If you've got a tree that's been worrying you, now is the time to have it looked at — not after the first severe thunderstorm watch of the season.

Contact us for a free assessment or call 616-947-4050. We'll walk your property, look at what you're dealing with, and give you an honest recommendation.