How do I tell if a storm-damaged tree is safe to leave?
Look from a safe distance, never under the crown. A tree with hanging or broken branches, cracks, a recent lean or soil lifted on one side, or any wire in or near it is not safe to leave, and healthy-looking trees can fall too. Stay back, keep 10 feet from lines and have an arborist assess it.
Free to ask. Local shops send quotes, and you pay only when you book one.
By Kasra Taheri, Founder, LoclisPublished
Researched and drafted with AI, then checked claim by claim against the sources listed below before it was published. Prices and rules change; the dates beside each source say when it was last checked.
Step by step
Read when to stop and call a pro, further down this page, before you start.
Step 1: Stay out from under it
Do the whole check from the ground at a distance, standing clear of the crown and the side the tree could fall toward. Never stand under hanging limbs.
Step 3: Scan the crown and branches
Look for broken, dead or hanging branches and for large limbs that have split away from the trunk.[1]
Step 4: Look at the trunk
Look for cracks, fungi and cavities, and for weak trunk or branch unions.[1]
Step 5: Check the ground at the base
Look for recent lean, especially where the soil or grass has lifted on one side.[1] Note any roots that are broken or torn out of the ground.
Step 6: Check what it could hit
Note whether the tree, or any hanging limb, is above the house, a driveway, a play area, a parked car or a neighbor's property, and keep people and cars away from that zone.
Step 7: Photograph what you see
Take photos from where you are standing, with the whole tree and the damaged spots in view, for the arborist and your insurer.[1]
Step 8: Decide and call
If you find anything on the list, or if you are in doubt, contact an arborist to assess it.[1]
Look first, from a distance
A storm-damaged tree is safe to leave only if a careful look from the ground finds nothing wrong, and even then the look is only half the answer. Healthy trees can fall down.[1] A tree may be green and lush, but that does not make it structurally safe.[1] So treat this as a screening check: if it finds a problem, the tree is not safe to leave, and if it finds nothing, you still have not proved it is sound.
The Tree Owner's Manual says to inspect trees anytime, but especially after storms.[1] Do it in daylight, once the wind has dropped, and from outside the zone where the tree or a limb could land. Never stand under hanging limbs.
What to look for
Work from the top down.
Wires. Check these first. Dominion Energy's advice: "always be aware of overhead lines and stay at least 10 feet away."[4] It also warns: "beware of trees with power lines running through them. Trees contain enough moisture to conduct electricity."[4] Its rule: "Do not touch anything that's touching the wire, such as a car or tree limb, because electricity can pass through objects, people and animals to reach the ground."[4] The Tree Owner's Manual: "If the tree is near a downed utility line, do not go near the tree. Call the utility company."[1]
Crown and branches. Look for broken, dead or hanging branches,[1] and for limbs that have split away and are caught higher up. These "hangers" can drop without warning, and the manual's advice is to call an arborist to have them removed.[1]
Trunk. Look for cracks, fungi and cavities,[1] and for weak trunk or branch unions, the points where two stems meet.[1] The Virginia Department of Forestry lists cracks in trunk or major limbs among the symptoms to have checked.[2]
Base and ground. A recent lean is the sign that matters most, especially if the soil or grass has lifted on one side.[1] Compare the tree with its neighbors and with photos from before the storm if you have them. The department also lists a one-sided or leaning tree.[2] Torn or broken roots, a mound of soil pushed up, or new gaps around the trunk all point the same way.
Targets. Notice what is underneath: the house, a car, the driveway, a play area, a fence. A cracked tree over an empty field is a different problem from the same tree over a bedroom. The department lists branches close to utility lines or structures as a concern in their own right.[2]
Reading the result
If you find any of the signs above, or you are unsure, contact an arborist. The manual's rule: "if anything is found, or if in doubt, contact an arborist."[1] Until then, keep people, pets and cars out of the area the tree could reach.
Ice is a special case. If ice is weighting the branches, stay in a protected area, out from underneath the branches.[1] Many branches return to their original state after severe bending,[1] so wait for the ice to go before you judge the damage.
If you found a problem, photograph it from where you stand, with the whole tree in view and then the damaged spots, for the arborist and for your insurer. For a severed root, the manual's advice is to photograph and call an arborist to assess safety and make treatments as necessary.[1]
Choosing someone to look at it
The Virginia Department of Forestry recommends a checkup by an ISA-certified arborist for trees with concerning symptoms.[2] After a storm it also says to "watch for fallen, damaged, uprooted or leaning trees, as they can be extremely hazardous" and to "use extreme caution when cutting storm-damaged trees, or hire a qualified arborist, tree care professional, or logger."[3] Its advice on hiring: "Always verify credentials, licenses, and references, and be cautious of unsolicited vendors."[3] A written quote that names the work, who removes the wood and what happens to the debris is worth asking for; the cost side is in what storm cleanup costs in Virginia.
Stop and call a pro if
- The tree touches, or is tangled in, a power line. Stay clear and call the utility company.[1] Call 911 if anyone is in danger.
- A limb is broken and still hanging in the crown. Call an arborist to have the hangers removed.[1]
- The tree leans, has lifted soil at its base, or has a crack in the trunk. Keep everyone away from its fall zone until it has been assessed.
- It is over the house, a car or a neighbor's property. If it has already landed on the house, read who to call when a tree falls on your house.
- You are tempted to climb, use a ladder or start a chainsaw. The Virginia Department of Forestry: "Use extreme caution when cutting storm-damaged trees, or hire a qualified arborist, tree care professional, or logger."[3]
Getting help in Virginia
Branches that are already lying on the ground are a separate job: see how to clean up fallen branches after a storm. More guides are on the snow and seasonal answers page, and you can browse snow and seasonal services near you.
When a tree needs assessing or taking down, describe the job once and local tree services quote it.
Common questions
- Can a tree that looks fine after a storm still fall?
- Yes. The Tree Owner's Manual says plainly that healthy trees can fall down, and that a tree may be green and lush without being structurally safe. Damage is often at the roots or inside the trunk, where you cannot see it from the ground.
- What are the signs that a storm-damaged tree is dangerous?
- Broken, dead or hanging branches, cracks, fungi and cavities, weak trunk or branch unions, and a recent lean, especially where soil or grass has lifted on one side. The Virginia Department of Forestry adds cracks in the trunk or major limbs and branches close to utility lines or structures.
- What if the tree is only bent over with ice?
- Stay out from underneath the branches, because some limbs may break. The Tree Owner's Manual notes that many branches return to their original state after severe bending, so wait until the ice is gone, then look again from the ground and call an arborist if anything looks broken or split.
- Who should look at a damaged tree?
- An ISA-certified arborist, which is the checkup the Virginia Department of Forestry recommends for concerning symptoms. The department also says to verify credentials, licenses and references, and to be cautious of unsolicited vendors who knock after a storm.
- Can I just cut the damaged part myself?
- Not as a safe-scope job. The Virginia Department of Forestry says to use extreme caution when cutting storm-damaged trees, or to hire a qualified arborist, tree care professional or logger. A homeowner check is for looking from the ground, not for climbing or using a saw.
Sources
- [1] Tree Owner's Manual (NA-FR-01-10, revised 2021), USDA Forest Service, distributed by the Virginia Department of Forestry. Checked October 28, 2026.
- [2] Trees and Extreme Weather (Forestry Topic 64), Virginia Department of Forestry. Checked October 28, 2026.
- [3] Disaster Relief: A Guide for Forest Landowners (Forestry Topic 15), Virginia Department of Forestry. Checked October 28, 2026.
- [4] Electric Safety, Dominion Energy. Checked October 28, 2026.
Want a pro to handle it?
Describe the job once. Licensed local businesses send quotes, and you pay only when you book one.
Get a quote from a local pro