After the Storm: 7 Signs Your Tree Is Now a Safety Risk
- The Firewood Company
- Feb 16
- 3 min read
Wild weather has become a regular part of life in Marlborough. Heavy rain, saturated soil, and strong winds can turn even healthy-looking trees into serious hazards overnight.
The important thing to understand?
Just because a tree is still standing after a storm doesn’t mean it’s safe.
Storm-damaged trees often fail days or even weeks later, once the soil shifts again or another gust of wind hits. If you’ve recently experienced high winds or heavy rainfall, now is the time to assess your property.
Here are seven warning signs your tree may now be a safety risk.
1️⃣ The Tree Is Leaning More Than Before
One of the most obvious red flags after a storm is a noticeable lean.
Some trees naturally grow at a slight angle. However, if the lean has increased, even slightly, we’ve noticed that it could be a clear sign the root system may have shifted or partially failed.
In Marlborough’s clay-heavy and coastal soils, saturated ground weakens root anchoring. When strong winds follow heavy rain, the root plate can lift or crack beneath the surface.
If the lean wasn’t there before the storm, it’s worth having a professional assess it (you know who to call!).
2️⃣ Cracked or Split Trunks
High winds can cause internal stress fractures that aren’t always obvious at first glance.
Look for:
Vertical cracks in the trunk
Splitting bark
Deep fissures
Separation at branch junctions
In our experience, even a small trunk split can compromise structural integrity. Once the trunk is weakened, further wind pressure can cause sudden failure.
3️⃣ Uplifted or Exposed Roots
Take a close look at the base of your tree.
Do you see:
Soil mounding on one side?
Exposed roots that weren’t visible before?
Cracks in the ground around the base?
These are classic signs of root plate movement.
A tree can appear stable while its root system is partially detached underground. This is one of the most common causes of delayed tree falls after storms in NZ.
4️⃣ Hanging or Broken Branches (“Widow-Makers”)
Storms often leave behind partially broken limbs that remain suspended in the canopy.
These hanging branches may not fall immediately, but they will eventually.
They pose a serious risk to:
Children
Pets
Vehicles
Roofs and gutters
Powerlines
Attempting to remove large, broken limbs yourself can be extremely dangerous. Professional tree removal teams have the equipment and experience to handle these safely.
5️⃣ Sudden Leaf Loss or Dead Sections
After wild weather, trees can go into shock.
If you notice:
Large areas of dead foliage
Sudden leaf drop
Sections of the canopy not recovering
This may indicate internal damage or root disruption.
A tree that is struggling after a storm is more likely to decline over the coming months, increasing long-term risk.
6️⃣ The Tree Is Now Close to Your Roof or Powerlines
Even if the tree hasn’t visibly failed, strong winds can shift branches closer to:
Roofing
Chimneys
Gutters
Fences
Neighbouring properties
Overhead lines
Branches rubbing against structures during high winds can cause significant damage over time.
It’s always safer to address these risks early rather than wait for the next weather event.
7️⃣ The Tree “Sounds” Different
This may surprise some homeowners, but trees can creak, crack or shift audibly after structural damage.
If you hear unusual noises during windy conditions that weren’t present before, that’s a warning sign.
Trust your instincts. If something feels different about the tree after a storm, it likely is.
Why Acting Early Matters
One of the biggest mistakes we notice homeowners making is assuming that if a tree survived the storm, it’s fine.
In reality, many storm-damaged trees fail days later, particularly when:
Soil dries unevenly
Wind returns
Root systems continue to weaken
Proactive tree removal or trimming can prevent:
Roof damage
Insurance complications
Injury risk
Expensive emergency call-outs
In many cases, preventative removal costs significantly less than dealing with damage after a tree falls.
Tree Removal in Marlborough: What to Do Next
If you’ve noticed any of these warning signs, the safest step is to organise a professional assessment.
The Firewood Company provides experienced tree-removal services across Marlborough, helping homeowners safely and efficiently manage storm-damaged or high-risk trees.
We can:
✔ Assess storm-damaged trees
✔ Remove hazardous limbs
✔ Safely dismantle unstable trees
✔ Process suitable timber into usable firewood
✔ Clear debris and restore your property
Where possible, we also ensure storm-damaged timber is responsibly reused. We are the experts at turning a hazard into winter warmth.
Don’t Wait for the Next Storm
Wild weather isn’t slowing down in New Zealand.
If your property experienced high winds or heavy rain recently, now is the time to inspect your trees.
Because when it comes to tree safety, prevention is always better — and cheaper — than emergency response.
📞 Contact The Firewood Company today to book a storm-damage assessment in Marlborough.
Stay safe. Stay proactive. Protect your home.
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