Getting Your Trees Ready for Storm Season in Randolph County

When Storms Hit Trees Here

We went through NOAA's Storm Events Database, the record of storm reports gathered by the National Weather Service, for Randolph County from 1996 through 2025. Three seasons stand out:

• Summer thunderstorms, May through August. The county had 385 damaging thunderstorm-wind reports in those 30 years. About 7 in 10 came in these four months, and 365 of the 385 mention trees.
• Ice, December through February. Of the county's 36 freezing-rain and ice storm reports, 34 came in these months. The ice storm of December 4-5, 2002 left a half inch to an inch of ice from Albemarle to Asheboro to Durham, brought down large trees and power lines, and cut power to nearly one million people in central North Carolina.
• Tropical storm remnants, September and October. Hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30 and peaks in September, and storms that come ashore far away still reach us. In October 2018, Tropical Storm Michael downed more than 400 trees in the county and left about 30,000 customers without power at its peak. Matthew (2016), Zeta (2020) and Ian (2022) brought trees and power lines down here too.

It does not always take a thunderstorm or a named storm. NOAA's reports also show trees falling here in winter from gusts of only 30 to 35 mph, when the ground was soaked.

A Pre-Storm Checklist for Your Trees

Walk your yard once with the leaves on and once with them off, and look up. Most of this list comes from NC State Extension and the National Weather Service:

• Dead limbs. NC State Extension's first step in preventing storm damage is to remove dead, dying, diseased or damaged limbs.
• Limbs over the roof. The National Weather Service says to trim branches away from your house before high winds. Heavy limbs over bedrooms come first.
• Leaning trees. NC State lists leaning trees among the ones to check before storms. A lean that is new deserves a quick look.
• Weak V-shaped unions. Two trunks or big limbs joined in a tight V, often with bark pinched into the joint, tend to split. NC State lists these as more likely to be damaged in storms.
• Cavities, decay and root damage. Hollow spots, insect or disease damage, and roots cut by trenching all weaken a tree, and NC State lists each one as a storm risk.
• Trees near the house and driveway. Check anything tall enough to reach the house, the cars or the driveway. A tree across your only way out can keep you in, and help out.
• Branches near power lines. Leave these alone. Trees touching or leaning into power lines are the utility's job first, so call your power company.

Finding one of these does not always mean a tree has to come down. Often, removing a dead limb or lightening a heavy one is enough. Our warning signs guide covers ten signs in more detail.

When to Call Before a Storm

Small dead twigs you can reach from the ground are a fine weekend job. Call for help when:

• The job needs a ladder or a chainsaw
• A limb could hit the house, a car or a fence when it drops
• Branches are bent or twisted under strain, since they can spring back when cut
• You are not sure whether a tree needs pruning or removal

Estimates are free, and we put the plan and the price in writing before any planned work starts.

What Not to Do: Topping

Topping means cutting a tree's big limbs back to stubs to make it shorter. People often do it hoping a shorter tree will not blow over. N.C. Cooperative Extension says it does far more harm than good. The large cuts may never seal, so water, insects and fungi get in and rot the wood. The new shoots grow fast and are weakly attached, and NC State warns they are likely to be damaged in future storms. That is why we never top trees.

If a tree is too big for its spot, proper pruning can take weight off without leaving stubs. Extension says up to about a quarter of the canopy can come off without cutting into the older, bigger branches. When a tree truly endangers your home, removal is the safer choice.

During the Storm

• Get inside a sturdy building when a severe thunderstorm or high wind warning is issued, and move to an interior room or basement, away from windows and glass doors.
• If you are driving, move your car away from spots where trees or power lines could fall on it.
• If you are caught outside, stay away from trees, power lines and the side of the road.
• In an ice storm, stay out from under ice-loaded trees and lines, since heavy ice can bring down trees and utility poles. Do not knock ice off the limbs. NC State says to wait for it to melt.

After the Storm: Safety First

• Stay away from downed power lines. Treat every line as live and report it to 911 and your power company.
• Walk around the house carefully. Check for loose power lines, gas leaks and damage before going back in. If you smell gas, stay out.
• Look up before you walk under a tree. Large broken limbs can hang in the canopy and fall later.
• Do not cut bent or twisted limbs yourself. NC State Extension warns that limbs under tension may spring back without warning.
• Take photos before anything is moved or repaired, and keep receipts for emergency work such as a tarp on the roof.
• Be careful with door-to-door crews. Ask for proof of insurance, get the price in writing, and be wary of anyone who wants full payment before the work is done.

Once everyone is safe and the utility has handled any power line, our emergency tree services follow the same order every time: assess the tree, make it safe, then clean up.

Insurance Basics Before the Season

Before the season, read your homeowners policy. Some policies carry a separate wind and hail or named-storm deductible set as a percentage of your dwelling coverage. The NC Department of Insurance gives this example: with $200,000 of coverage, a 1% wind or hail deductible means you pay the first $2,000 of each wind or hail claim. Homeowners policies do not cover flooding, and flood policies have a 30-day waiting period. Every policy is different, so ask your agent.

For what insurance usually pays when a tree does fall, see our guide on a tree falling on your house.

Storm Prep in Asheboro and Randolph County

We trim, check and remove trees in Asheboro and across Randolph County, and we handle storm damage when it happens. We carry $1,000,000 in general liability insurance. If a tree has been worrying you, now is a good time for a look. Call or text our main phone at (336) 523-8278 or our alternate phone at (336) 479-4339 for a free estimate. If anyone is hurt or a power line is down, call 911 first.