On December 30, 2025, wind gusts in the general Marblehead, Ohio, region were significantly strong, with reports near Lake Erie reaching up to 72 mph at a weather station in Fairport Harbor and up to 60 mph in other parts of northern Ohio. So, what did our trees have to say about the wind? Were we listening?
I was out checking on my daughter’s house in Marblehead, Ohio. I noticed her large Blue Spruce was really moving in the high winds.
On closer inspection, I noticed the roots at the base of the tree were moving up and down.
In addition, I noticed cracks in the mulch.
Her tree is still standing but it got me thinking what should be done?
The tree is over 30 years old and stands about 40 feet tall.
It has been through many wind events and survived. But this particular wind was in a perfect direction between the house and the next-door neighbor’s fence to function as a wind tunnel of sorts.
In addition, we removed some lower branches to increase the air flow and reduce the spread of Rhizosphera fungus
as indicated by this Wisconsin article:
Rhizophera - Wisconson article link
I believe this made the tree top heavy as opposed to a Blue Spruce which has branches all the way to the ground.
Trees pruned improperly to be top-heavy, especially through methods like topping or lion-tailing, become more susceptible to wind damage because they develop weak, lopsided crowns with poor branch structure, acting like sails that catch wind and put immense stress on weakened stems, increasing the risk of breakage or uprooting.
Purdue has a good fact sheet on Trees and Storms:
Purdue Article - Trees and Storms article link
Back to the Blue Spruce. Will it blow down next time?
An International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) Certified Arborist
would be able to give an educated answer. To find a Certified Arborist, use the link below:
https://www.treesaregood.org/findanarborist
In addition, an ISA Tree Risk Assessment Qualified (TRAQ) certified arborist can determine the risk to life and property.
In my case, I have called an arborist to access the tree. In addition, if it came down, it would take down power lines which would really make my neighbors mad! Trees and power lines can be a bad combination.
In other cases, a deciduous Russian Olive broke apart at the base.
Back in Sandusky, a Blue Spruce broke in two by the wind revealing signs of rot.
As always, wind can simply uproot trees by sheer force. Saturated soils can make it even easier to uproot evergreens.
The intense winds also caused a significant weather phenomenon known as a seiche on Lake Erie, which pushed water away from the northwest shore, in some cases exposing the lakebed:
https://bygl.osu.edu/index.php/node/2587
So, listen to the wind. In doubt, call a professional.
