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Original poster

I live by huge trees-feeling worried about the storm

30 replies

BakerMan · 18/02/2022 05:20

My house is very close to a row of massive trees. All the trees are exposed to the wind and I'm worried they will fall into the house.

Is there anything I can do to keep safe?

OP posts:
Pyri · 18/02/2022 05:24

Trees are very very unlikely to fall over. Most have root systems much deeper than you realise and the bending / swaying is a good thing as it shows how flexible the tree is

The only thing you could do if really worried is leave the house but that seems unnecessary. Just batten down the hatches and wait for it to pass.

You could also get a tree surgeon to come and check how healthy they are but might not get one today!

twosticksandanapple · 18/02/2022 05:28

Me too, we live next to a wood and the trees are 3x the height of our house. I am telling myself they survived the 1987 storm so should be OK. Also they are to our east so fingers crossed if they fall with winds from the west they will hopefully go the opposite way.

hattie43 · 18/02/2022 05:36

This is my greatest fear too . I can cope with any amount of rain but wind is the terrifying thing.

FormerlySpeckledyHen · 18/02/2022 05:44

@Pyri

Trees are very very unlikely to fall over. Most have root systems much deeper than you realise and the bending / swaying is a good thing as it shows how flexible the tree is

The only thing you could do if really worried is leave the house but that seems unnecessary. Just batten down the hatches and wait for it to pass.

You could also get a tree surgeon to come and check how healthy they are but might not get one today!

15 million trees fell over in the great storm of 1987. Google the images If you weren’t around to witness it.
Original poster
BakerMan · 18/02/2022 06:00

@FormerlySpeckledyHen thanks for that but of information Shock

I was thinking of leaving the house for the morning but I will have to see how bad the weather is first. I remember a couple of years back almost being blown into the road by the wind!

OP posts:
Pyri · 18/02/2022 06:05

@FormerlySpeckledyHen I’m sure that information is really useful and comforting to the OP who is worried about trees falling and can’t actually do anything about it Hmm

Kinneddar · 18/02/2022 06:31

15 million trees fell over in the great storm of 1987. Google the images If you weren’t around to witness it

Ffs that's really helpful. Why would you post that

FormerlySpeckledyHen · 18/02/2022 06:35

I agree the facts are shocking but absolutely true. The landscape was unbelievable the following morning. At least this time we have a reliable forecast and can plan up to a point.

Btw I have an oak tree in my front garden and was told on Monday this week by the tree surgeon that it has rot inside and needs attention.
I’m concerned too but can’t do anything about it. I’ll let you know how it goes!

Roselilly36 · 18/02/2022 06:45

Quite honestly worrying won’t help will it. The trees have been there for hundreds of years, It will be ok OP.

FormerlySpeckledyHen · 18/02/2022 06:54

Sorry OP 💐

Gabbiadini · 18/02/2022 07:00

Leaving the house seems slightly more dangerous than staying inside, unless you have someone else’s house within easy reach that you can go to until the storm passes.

Hugasauras · 18/02/2022 07:01

Just keep an eye on it. Trees do come down. The recent Storm Arwen we had took down hundreds maybe thousands of them. But there are a lot of variables so it really just depends. A couple of big trees came down in our lane during Arwen, but thankfully fell the opposite way to the house. But it was a bit scary watching them go!

YellowAndGreenToBeSeen · 18/02/2022 07:01

@Pyri

Trees are very very unlikely to fall over. Most have root systems much deeper than you realise and the bending / swaying is a good thing as it shows how flexible the tree is

The only thing you could do if really worried is leave the house but that seems unnecessary. Just batten down the hatches and wait for it to pass.

You could also get a tree surgeon to come and check how healthy they are but might not get one today!

Thank you so much for this. Social media got me 😱 over the large trees in my garden. A rational voice is just what I needed. Thanks!
cabrillolighthouse · 18/02/2022 07:03

@FormerlySpeckledyHen same here except ours is a huge horse chestnut. Tree surgeon (who is a friend) text on Wed pm to say he'd driven past and said think it needs to come down asap as looking v unhealthy.
Of course no time to get anything done before this storm as needs a crane for such a big job. So now I'm just keeping all fingers and toes crossed for the next few hours. Have moved the cars out of the way but it's right next to our house (towers over it) and the main road.

Hugasauras · 18/02/2022 07:03

Okay apparently Arwen was also millions of trees ShockSad There's a big country house near us who said the damage it caused to trees would take a generation to recover.

YellowAndGreenToBeSeen · 18/02/2022 07:03

Not so much with the ‘thank yous’ to @FormerlySpeckledyHen GrinShock

CottonSock · 18/02/2022 07:06

At least they dont have leaves yet. If this hit in summer more trees would go. I live on a tree lined street and anxious. Although red warning has started here and only a breeze so far.

Hugasauras · 18/02/2022 07:07

Tbh I think if you'd seen the impact of the recent two storms in Scotland you'd know that trees are in fact very likely to come down. That doesn't mean OP's will at all, but a lot of trees will come down in a red wind storm. It's just a case of staying as safe as you can, staying inside, not driving during the worst of it, staying away from wooded areas when you do drive. I hope all your trees survive, OP! I think wind direction has a lot to do with it - in Arwen our fence was absolutely fine, but Malik the wind was hitting it from a different direction and it was gone very quickly!

Maggiesgirl · 18/02/2022 07:09

1987, a tree opposite my house fell taking out two cars parked on the riad, my wall and the top branches scrapped my front window. I was stood in that room. Terrifying and fir the life of me I have no idea why I stood rooted watching it happen. I shook afterwards mind.

ANameChangeAgain · 18/02/2022 07:11

We've got poplars, which are huge and very, very brittle. Can't do anything about it as they are protected, but each year the wind brings one down, and we just cross our fingers its in the right direction.

Original poster
BakerMan · 18/02/2022 07:15

Ok so I'll be watching the trees today. Does anyone know if they did fall, would it be gradual or just straight down.
Just wondering if we will have enough time to get out the house or not.

OP posts:
ANameChangeAgain · 18/02/2022 07:23

Its quick. If they are healthy trees with good roots though you won't loose them, and it depends which direction the wind is blowing as to whether or not they'll hit your home. You'll be fine.

FleeceNavidadFromTheSheep · 18/02/2022 07:31

I sympathise OP, as we have a row of huge trees along the side of the house on a public footpath. I'm going to stay out of the conservatory and bedroom at that end of the house and not imagine all the lovely west -facing light the garden would get if one were to fall

labyrinthlaziness · 18/02/2022 07:39

You are not crazy to be worried Brew

Statistically even in a storm each individual tree is unlikely to fall over, but it is an obvious thing to go through your mind.

Clarabellawilliamson · 18/02/2022 07:52

Also remember that the 1987 storm happened in October, and lots of the trees still had their leaves so there was much more tree damage than you might usually get from a storm. Of course, some trees will come down today across the country, but not necessarily your trees, and it being winter will help make it less likely.