Weathering the Storm: Top Tips to Protect Your Portland Trees from Wind and Snow

While Portland is known for its mild climate, destructive storms do occur that can wreak havoc on your trees and property. High winds, heavy rainfall, thunderstorms, flooding, and freezing rain and snow are all significant risks to the urban forest. If your trees aren’t prepared, they can suffer extensive damage ranging from broken limbs to entirely split trunks and blow-overs. This endangers not just the tree itself, but anything in the potential fall zone like your home, vehicles, power lines, and more.

The best way to protect your trees from storm damage is with preventive care and maintenance to strengthen them before storms strike. Keep reading to learn more about the types of storms we face here in the Portland area, and what you can do now to strengthen your trees and minimize the risk of storm damage going forward.

Preventing Storm Damage to Trees: Key Takeaways

• Although Portland doesn’t experience many major storms, we can still get high winds, heavy rain, thunderstorms, flooding, and freezing rain/snow.
• Inspect trees for vulnerabilities like dead wood, weak branches, poor structure, and pests and diseases that increase storm damage risk.
• Prune trees properly to improve structure, remove hazards, and reduce weight from ice/snow loads. Ideally, this should be done by a Certified Arborist.
• Consider cabling/bracing, planting windbreaks, and using mulch to provide extra structural support and protection.
• Work with a certified arborist on an ongoing tree care plan to maximize tree health and resilience against storms.

Understanding Portland’s Storm Patterns and Risks to Trees

Portland is well known for its wet, yet mild climate. The good news is that destructive storms are rare in the area. Winds rarely reach 75 mph, usually staying below 50 mph even in a storm.

However, we do still experience a variety of storms and harsh weather. These weather conditions can place significant strain on trees, especially those that are more susceptible to damage due to age, species, damage from pests or disease, or structural weakness.

To prepare your trees, it’s important to understand the types of weather events we face in the Portland area:

Heavy Rain

A staggering 90% of Portland’s rain falls from November through May. Some areas, such as the West Hills, get over 60 inches annually. In contrast, only 3% of our annual rainfall occurs in July and August, making drought conditions a stressor for many trees.

Strong Windstorms

The Pacific Northwest is known for high wind events during fall and winter that down trees and power lines each year. While rare, winds can exceed 75 mph. Pruning or removing trees growing near power lines can prevent damage and limit power loss.

Thunderstorms

While infrequent, summer thunderstorms can produce prolific lightning, funnel clouds (which are often mistaken for tornadoes, although they don’t touch the ground), and intense winds. Tornadoes are rare, though our most famous tornado incident occurred in 1972, causing $4 million in damage.

Flooding

With Portland’s location on both the Willamette and Columbia rivers, plus many other waterways throughout the city, flooding is a risk, especially for trees in floodplain areas. Flooding occurs primarily in the winter, when most of the rain falls.

Freezing Rain and Snowstorms

Thanks to the Cascades blocking cold air from Canada, Portland avoids much of the freezing temperatures and winter storms. But easterly winds can still bring episodes of freezing rain accumulation or heavy snowfall capable of snapping limbs and toppling trees.

We all remember the January 2024 winter storm when strong easterly winds and snow hit the City of Portland, as well as eastern and southern suburbs such as Gresham, Lake Oswego, Tigard, and Tualatin. The result was thousands of downed or snapped large trees, some of which fell on homes, automobiles, and power lines.

Impact of Severe Weather on Tree Health

When trees endure these extreme conditions, the effects on their health and structure can be devastating:

• Strong winds catch a tree’s surface area, putting immense lateral strain on the trunk and root system. This can uproot or break the tree entirely.
• Broken, dangling limbs are vulnerable points for disease and insect infestation since the tree’s natural defenses are compromised.
• Heavy precipitation saturates soils, leading to root rot that destabilizes the tree over time. Erosion can also expose and damage roots.
• Ice and snow accumulation overload the tree’s branches with immense weight, causing cracking and failure of limbs.

The more trees succumb to these stresses without adequate ongoing care, the more susceptible they are to decline and potentially requiring complete removal.

How to Prevent Tree Damage from Storms in Portland

One of the key steps to protect trees from storm damage is ensuring they receive regular maintenance and health checks. Routine inspections will help identify potential vulnerabilities and weak points in the trees’ structure so you can address them before another storm comes through.

A comprehensive tree care plan that includes the recommended actions below will improve the overall health of the tree, making it more resistant to storm damage.

Assess Tree Vulnerabilities

To minimize the risk of storm damage and protect your property, look for these signs that a tree may be vulnerable to storm damage:

• Inspect for dead/decaying wood, weak branch unions, codominant trunks, and poor root structure or trunk lean
• Note oversized limbs too heavy for the trunk
• Watch for signs of previous damage, cankers, and evidence of pests or disease
• Consider the tree’s age and particular species vulnerabilities

If there are noticeable problems with your trees, it’s only a matter of time before a storm does considerable damage, not just to the tree, but to anything near the tree, such as a home, car, or other property.

If you’re not sure if something is wrong with any of your trees, hire a local, certified arborist for an expert risk assessment of potential hazards. Arborists aren’t looking for excuses to cut trees down. Rather, arborists, like our local, certified team here at ArborPro, do everything they can to care for trees and make them safer and stronger, with tree removal always a last resort.

WHEN TO REMOVE TREES – If you have dead or decaying trees on your property, it may be best to have them removed before storm season hits. Weak trees are more likely to fall and cause damage. Don’t risk it, request a tree inspection today and see if it’s best to proactively remove your problem trees.

Check Your Trees for Pests or Diseases

Along with structural defects, you need to keep an eye out for pest problems and diseases on your trees. If left unchecked, either one of these issues could weaken trees and lead to failure next time a heavy storm blows through. Here’s what to do:

• Promptly prune out any diseased/infested branches to prevent spreading (if the branch is out of reach or too large to cut with a hand saw, call an arborist)
• Use preventive treatments to manage recurring pest/pathogen problems, if needed
• Improve soil conditions, apply fertilizer to correct nutrient deficiencies, and water regularly to boost tree vigor
• Focus on fostering overall tree health to increase defenses against biotic and abiotic stresses

Prune Trees for Storm Resistance

One of the most important things you can do to prepare for storm conditions is pruning your trees properly. We recommend hiring a certified arborist to prune your trees for storm damage prevention. Here’s what they’ll do:

• Remove dead, rubbing/crossed branches, weak attachments, and hazardous growth
• Thin crowns to reduce wind resistance and mitigate snow/ice loading
• Selectively prune out oversized, weighty limbs compromising the tree’s structure
• Ensure proper weight distribution and branch spacing for future growth
• Consider cabling/bracing high-value trees with structural defects or codominant stems
• Time pruning during the dormant season for the best response

The targeted removal of problematic branches improves the tree’s form and structure to help it withstand high winds. Reducing end weight minimizes failure points under accumulations of ice and snow. Overall, proper pruning can decrease the “sail area” to prevent windthrow while still preserving the tree’s health and aesthetics.

Provide Physical Reinforcement for Your Trees

Even with pruning, some high-value trees may benefit from additional support and wind protection. In the face of whipping winds and torrential rains, physical defenses can be a tree’s best ally.

If your tree(s) need a little extra support, there are a few things you can do to provide strength and shield them from exposure to damaging winds.

Add Strength with Cabling or Bracing

Cabling and bracing can provide vital support for vulnerable trees. For trees with weak branches or those prone to splitting, installing cables can help redistribute weight and reduce the risk of breakage during a storm. These flexible cables are typically installed in the upper two-thirds of the tree canopy.

Bracing involves placing rigid rods to stabilize weak or splitting branches, further enhancing tree stability. Both methods should be completed by a trained arborist.

Plant Windbreaks to Buffer from Intense Winds

Strategically placed windbreaks, such as fences, hedges, or rows of trees, can significantly mitigate the effects of powerful gusts on your property’s trees. By buffering wind, they reduce the impact on trees and help prevent damage.

Planting a row or grouping of evergreen trees can provide year-round wind protection and privacy to your yard. Green windbreaks will be most effective when they reach at least 5-6 feet in height.

If planting new trees in your yard, consider planting a grouping of five or more trees, rather than one isolated specimen in the middle of your yard. A group of trees that grow together help reduce wind velocity and support greater root stability, while increasing biodiversity in your yard.

Consider staking very young trees during establishment to prevent wind rocking until the roots are anchored.

Prevent Erosion with Mulch and Shrubs

Place a 2 to 4-inch layer of mulch around each tree’s critical root zone to conserve moisture and prevent soil erosion during heavy rain events. Wood chips and pine needles make an effective mulch.

Mulch helps to manage moisture in the soil, while also preventing pesky weeds that can compete with trees or attract pests. Mulch can also help prevent erosion and damage to tree roots, particularly during the rainy season.

If your trees are growing on or near a slope, planting shrubs and clump grasses nearby can also help stabilize the soil, as the roots of these plants will help hold the soil in place.

What Is the Most Effective Way to Prevent Storm Damage to Trees?

Ultimately, the most effective preventive solution is regular professional pruning combined with integrated pest management and soil care. This supports maximum tree vigor while mitigating structural flaws over the tree’s lifespan.

Tree damage prevention is an ongoing processes that requires managing your trees on a regular basis. Work with an ISA Certified Arborist on a customized tree care plan to develop strong, resilient trees over time.

Storm Damage Prevention for Portland Trees

While Portland’s moderate climate means we avoid most extreme weather, storms still threaten our urban forest. Being proactive reduces risks. At ArborPro Tree Experts, our team of Certified Arborists provides specialized services to improve your trees’ resilience:

• Inspections and risk assessments to identify vulnerabilities that require immediate care
• Pruning & trimming to promote ideal structure while mitigating risks
• Cabling/bracing systems to stabilize and reinforce high-value trees with defects
• Integrated pest & disease management to maximize tree vigor and strengthen defenses
• Soil care and fertilization to optimize growing conditions for healthy roots and tree growth

Don’t wait until it’s too late – the best time for storm preparation is now before problems develop. Contact ArborPro today at 503-473-8733 or use our online form to schedule a consultation. Our experts will assess your trees and develop a care plan to weather the storms ahead. Protect your valuable landscape assets and surrounding property from preventable storm damage.