5 Warning Signs a Tree Could Become a Hazard During Michigan’s Fall Storm Season
Updated September 7, 2026 · Written by Rob Burgund, ISA Certified Arborist MI-4857A
- ISA Certified Arborist MI-4857A
- Working in Oakland County since 2013
- Licensed and insured
- 5.0 stars from 15 Google reviews
Written by Rob Burgund
ISA Certified Arborist · MI-4857A
Rob owns Tree Pros, LLC in Bloomfield Township and is the arborist who quotes and works every job. He has been doing tree work in Oakland County since 2013. More about Rob and Tree Pros, or verify the certification in ISA’s public directory.
1. Dead limbs, especially high up
Bare, brittle branches in an otherwise leafy canopy are the first things to come down in wind. Look for leafless limbs high in the tree, and for small dead branches already on the ground under it. Dead limbs over the driveway, the patio or a play area are a pruning job, not a removal, and they can be done any month.
2. A crack in the trunk or at a fork
A long vertical crack, or a split where two trunks meet in a tight V, means the structure is already failing. Freeze-thaw cycles and old storm damage open these up over the years. A crack at a fork can sometimes be cabled and braced instead of removed. A crack running down the trunk usually cannot.
3. A new lean
A tree that has leaned for years is usually fine. A tree that leans more than it did last year is not. After a wet summer the soil around the root plate is soft, and a moderate fall wind can finish what the rain started. Large maples and oaks on the lakes in Waterford and West Bloomfield are the ones we watch.
4. Heaving soil or exposed roots
Cracked or mounded soil on the side opposite the lean, or roots lifting out of the ground, means the root plate is moving. This is the sign that gets a same-week visit, because root failure gives no warning when it finally goes. Oakland County’s heavy clay soils hold water, which makes this worse after a wet season.
5. Mushrooms, cavities or sawdust at the base
Shelf fungi at the trunk flare mean decay in the structural roots, and by the time you see the mushroom it has usually been spreading for years. Cavities in the trunk, sawdust-like frass at the base, and heavy woodpecker activity all point to rot or insects inside. On an ash, add top-down thinning and D-shaped exit holes, and read our EAB guide.
What to do with what you find
Our guide to dying and dangerous trees sorts these signs by urgency. For anything over a house, a written risk assessment is $399, credited toward the work. For a tree that is already down or on a structure, go straight to our storm damage page.
The math is simple. A weak fork gets a cable this fall for around $400, or it gets an emergency call at an eight-hour minimum and a roofing contractor next spring.
How much time each sign actually buys you
Not every sign on this list means the same thing on the calendar. Dead limbs and a fork crack are pruning-season problems: they can wait for a scheduled slot, even into winter, as long as nothing is over a roof or a driveway. A new lean or heaving soil on one side of the trunk is different. Root plates move gradually and then fail suddenly, so once you see movement, a fall storm with saturated ground behind it is exactly the wrong time to still be watching and waiting.
The base-of-trunk signs, mushrooms, cavities, sawdust-like frass, sit in between. Decay inside a trunk does not announce itself with a date. A tree can carry visible shelf fungus for several more seasons, or it can be closer to the end than it looks. That uncertainty is the actual reason a written risk assessment exists: it turns a guess about timing into a professional opinion you can act on.
What a risk assessment adds that a look from the yard cannot
Most of what actually fails in a fall storm is invisible from the ground. A crack at a fork is often visible only from inside the canopy. A hollow trunk can sound solid when you knock on the bark from three feet up and be mostly air at head height. An arborist climbing the tree, or using a resistance drill on the trunk and major limbs, checks the specific defects this article describes and rates the likelihood of failure against what is underneath, a roof, a play set, a driveway, a parked car. You get that in writing, which matters if an insurer or a neighbor ever asks why a tree came down.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if a tree is actually a hazard or just needs a trim?
Look at what the tree could hit if it failed, not just how it looks. A dead limb over open lawn is low urgency even though it looks alarming. The same dead limb over a driveway, a deck or a bedroom window is a hazard, because the consequence of failure is what makes something a hazard, not the defect alone. If you cannot tell which category a tree falls into, that judgment call is exactly what a risk assessment is for.
Should I remove a tree before a storm just to be safe?
Only if it already shows one of the five signs above. Removing a healthy tree because a storm is forecast gives up decades of shade and value for a risk that a sound tree is built to handle. Wind is a normal load a healthy tree’s roots and wood are designed for. The signs in this guide exist because they show a tree whose structure can no longer be trusted to carry that load, not because any tree in wind is dangerous.
Can a leaning tree be straightened or saved?
Sometimes, if the lean is caught early and the roots on the opposite side are still intact. Cabling and bracing can support a weak fork or reduce strain on a compromised trunk, and a certified arborist can tell you honestly whether that applies to your tree or whether the lean has already gone too far. A tree that has heaved the soil on one side, rather than just leaning, has usually moved past the point where cabling helps.
Does homeowners insurance cover a tree that falls in a storm?
Generally, insurance pays to remove a tree once it has fallen and caused damage to something covered, a roof, a fence, a garage. It typically does not pay to remove a tree preemptively because it looks hazardous, even if you can point to one of the signs on this list. That gap is the financial argument for dealing with a hazard tree on your own schedule, in the fall, rather than waiting for it to become a claim.
How much does it cost to deal with a hazard tree before it fails?
It depends entirely on which sign you are looking at. Taking weight off a weak limb or cabling a fork runs in the few-hundred-dollar range, similar to a normal pruning visit. Full removal of a tree that has already failed structurally runs in line with any other Oakland County removal, typically $600 to $2,500 depending on size and access. Either number is smaller than the cost of a storm claim, which is the whole point of catching these signs in August rather than October.
Signs a tree is dying or dangerous →Storm damage and emergency response →Pruning and risk assessments →All tree care guides →
Get your trees looked at before the fall wind
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