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Storm-Damaged Trees After Severe Weather
in Springfield, MO
Springfield sits in a corridor that gets severe thunderstorms from April through October, and the area sees a named tornado or significant straight-line wind event most years. After these storms, trees throughout neighborhoods like Kickapoo and the Fremont Hills area end up with split trunks, hanging limbs, and uprooted root balls. Leaving that damage in place sets up the next failure.
Quick Answer
After a bad storm in Springfield, broken and split trees are one of the most common calls we get. Splits and hanging wood left in place can come down on a house, fence, or person with no further warning. The fix is getting a trimmer out to remove the hanging pieces and assess whether the tree has enough healthy structure left to save. Do not try to pull a hanging limb down yourself.
Telltale Signs
Warning Signs to Watch For
- A large limb is broken and hanging at an angle, held up by bark or neighboring branches
- The trunk has a vertical split running several feet up from a main branch union
- The tree is tilted and you can see the root ball partially lifted out of the ground
- Bark is stripped off a section of trunk in a long jagged line
- A branch came down and is now resting on the roof or fence
- Multiple branches are broken at the same level, suggesting a wind shear came through
Root Causes
What Causes Storm-Damaged Trees After Severe Weather?
Straight-Line Wind Shear
Springfield's severe thunderstorms regularly produce straight-line winds between 60 and 80 miles per hour. These winds hit all sides of a tree canopy almost simultaneously and can split the trunk or snap major limbs at their weakest point, usually where two large branches form a tight V-shaped union.
The Fix
Storm Damage Cleanup and Crown Restoration
The trimmer removes all hanging and broken wood, then makes clean cuts at natural branch unions on the remaining structure. Clean cuts heal far better than jagged breaks and give the tree a chance to regrow a functional canopy.
Pre-Existing Decay at Break Point
Many Springfield trees older than 30 years have internal rot that is not visible from the ground. A storm does not have to be unusual to bring down a limb that has been rotting from the inside for years. The break usually happens right where the rot was, and the inside of the fallen limb looks dark, hollow, or soft.
The Fix
Hazard Wood Removal and Tree Health Assessment
After removing the storm damage, a good trimmer looks at what is left for signs of more internal decay. If other parts of the tree show the same kind of soft or hollow wood, those need to come down before the next storm.
Self-Diagnosis
Which Cause Applies to You?
Check the signs you're observing to narrow down the likely root cause before your inspection.
| What You're Seeing | Straight-Line Wind Shear | Pre-Existing Decay at Break Point |
|---|---|---|
| Multiple trees in the neighborhood all broke at the same level | ||
| The inside of the broken limb is dark, soft, or hollow | ||
| The break happened during a storm with gusts over 60 mph | ||
| The break point was at a tight V-shaped branch union | ||
| The same tree has had limbs break in previous storms too |
Free Inspection
Get a Diagnosis in Springfield
An on-site inspection is the only way to confirm which cause applies to your property. Free, no obligation.
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