How Does Heavy Snow Fall Affect Tree Health?
February 5, 2025

Winter snowstorms can transform your yard into a picturesque scene but can do more harm than good to your trees if you aren’t careful. Heavy snowfalls weigh down tree branches, strain woody plants, and damage roots that can cause havoc to your property. They can potentially get so bad that they require professional tree removal services to restore order to your yard. While some species are more resilient, others, especially those with brittle wood, risk breakage or splitting.
Often laden with wet snow, the tree’s crown becomes vulnerable to snapping, leaving property owners to deal with damaged trees. Dead trees pose additional hazards, making them more likely to collapse under pressure. Understanding how heavy snow impacts tree health empowers you to properly care for your greenery, preserving safety for your private property, sidewalks, and nearby parks.
The Weight of the Snow Can Damage Branches
The sheer weight of snow can test even the healthiest trees. Large trees with broad crowns catch and hold more snow, and wet snow increases this burden exponentially. This leads to more branches bending or breaking under stress. Large branches may strike power lines, vehicles, or even structures like your garage when falling.
For property owners, this creates an immediate safety hazard and adds to their own expense for repairs. Brittle wood species and shrubs are particularly prone to breaking, leaving limbs scattered across your yard or driveway. Proper tree pruning before winter can help reduce the number of vulnerable branches, making your trees more resilient to snowstorms.
Drastic Temperature Changes
Winter doesn’t just bring snow — it introduces drastic shifts in temperature that affect a tree’s structure. Ice storms, followed by rapid thaws, can cause trees and shrubs to expand and contract quickly, leading to splits in bark and weakening the tree’s health. For woody plants, such stress may compromise the roots, making recovery in spring a slow process. Younger trees, along with species more susceptible to temperature swings, require tree care strategies like pruning to minimize damage. Without timely maintenance, cracks and splits can worsen, turning healthy trees into hazards for playgrounds, sidewalks, and driveways.
Ice on Trees
When snow melts and refreezes, it forms layers of ice that cling to branches. Ice-covered limbs become heavier, amplifying the risk of snapping. Branches laden with ice may fall suddenly, creating hazards for people and structures on private property. Wet snow followed by freezing conditions causes severe strain on a tree’s crown and larger branches, especially in species with brittle wood. Ice damage left unaddressed can impact a tree’s spring growth, reducing its vitality and increasing the likelihood of dead trees on your property.
How to Help Protect Your Trees in the Winter
Protecting your trees during the winter months requires proactive steps to safeguard their health and structure. Heavy snow, ice, and freezing temperatures can damage even healthy trees, but you can minimize the risks with proper care. By focusing on preventative measures, you help ensure your trees survive the winter and thrive in the spring. Here are the best ways to care for your trees during the colder months:
- Prune Before Winter: Tree pruning reduces the number of weak or dead branches that could break under the weight of snow and ice. This strengthens the tree’s structure and lowers the risk of large branches falling onto your property.
- Mulch Around Roots: Apply a layer of wood chips or mulch around the base of trees and woody plants to insulate roots and protect them from freezing temperatures.
- Gently Remove Snow: Use a broom to lightly brush off heavy snow from limbs to prevent them from breaking under the weight. Avoid shaking branches, as this can cause splits or damage.
- Wrap Young Trees: Use burlap or tree wraps to protect the trunks of young or thin-barked species from frost and drastic temperature changes.
- Assess Tree Location: Identify trees near power lines, driveways, or sidewalks and monitor them for potential hazards, especially during snowstorms.
- Avoid Piling Snow: Refrain from piling wet snow around the base of trees or shrubs, as this can suffocate roots and delay recovery in the spring.
- Inspect Trees Regularly: Check your trees after each snowstorm for signs of stress, including brittle wood, split bark, or fallen limbs.
By following these steps, property owners can protect their trees and maintain the safety of their yards, playgrounds, and private property through winter’s toughest challenges. When you need a certified arborist to handle the job, Above All Tree Service is ready to help!
Trust All the Above Tree Services With Your Winter Tree Care Needs
Winter tree care requires a professional touch to keep your yard looking its best and protected from damage during the cold winter months. All the Above Tree Service brings years of experience to your yard, offering solutions that protect your trees from snow, ice, and extreme cold. Our professional arborists provide pruning, storm clean-up, and emergency tree removal services to protect your property. Whether you’re dealing with large trees or shrubs, we handle every situation with precision and care. Don’t let winter storms leave you with fallen limbs or damaged woody plants. Choose a trusted service to prepare your yard for spring growth and protect the natural beauty of your location.