Yesterday evening Dutchess County was under a tornado warning and experienced a severe storm that included golf ball sized hail, flying debris, severe winds, heavy downpour, lightning, thunder, and funnel shaped cloud formations. Hail storm damage and lightning damages to properties, homes, windows, vehicles, and trees were encountered.
Red Cedar has a team of experienced arborists and professionals with specific training allowing us to perform emergency tree removal services following such storms. After the conclusion of the tornado watch, you may have noticed that your trees need some emergency services. It is important to understand that there is much more to dealing with hail storm damage and lightning struck trees than just cutting them down. Our trained professionals will be able to determine the safest plan of action for each unique storm damaged tree situation.
There are six main types of damages that can occur to trees in storms:
- Blown over
- Stem failure
- Crown twist
- Root failure
- Branch failure
- Lightning strike
Today, we have had a few calls about storm damage and trees that were struck by lightning. When a tree is struck by lightning it can have a variety of effects on the tree depending on several factors:
- Kind of tree
- How much moisture it contains
- Overall health of the tree
- The time of strike
- Intensity of the lightning strike
A lot of the damage associated with a tree being struck by lightning happens because the moisture inside of the tree is subjected to extreme hot temperatures from the lightning. When the heat from the lightning meets the tree’s moisture, it will usually appear as a sort of explosion of the tree’s bark in chunks. In cases where the bark is saturated, the lightning may travel along the outside of the tree to the ground, which will cause less damage to your tree.
After a tree has been hit by lightning, in some cases, it can continue to survive for years following the strike, but may be more susceptible to disease and future issues due to its weakened state. In other cases, the tree may need to be removed to avoid the potential dangers to people or property associated with damaged or weak limbs.
If a tree on your property was struck by lightning or is experiencing other storm damages, call Red Cedar today for emergency tree services! If you know we are expecting a big storm and you want to be proactive, we can also provide a tree evaluation prior to a storm to determine its health and areas of weakness, which can help to avoid potential damages during the storm. We have been serving the Hudson Valley for years and are highly trained in assessing damage and determining the best course of action for each unique situation!
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