Tree care guide

How to Get Your Trees Ready for Storm Season

A simple pre-storm checklist for Tuscaloosa and Northport homeowners.

Updated November 1, 2026 · Tuscaloosa Tree Services

Short answer

Before spring storm season, walk your yard and look for dead limbs, cracked trunks, new leans and branches over the roof or lines. Have any of those handled in winter, while crews are less busy and trees are dormant.

When storm season hits Tuscaloosa

Alabama gets most of its severe storms and tornadoes in spring, from about March through May, with a second, smaller season in late fall. Tuscaloosa was hit by a violent tornado on April 27, 2011. Late summer can add wind and rain from the remains of Gulf hurricanes.

Your walk-around checklist

Dead branches, especially high up or over the house
Cracks or splits in the trunk or where large limbs meet
A tree that leans more than it used to, or soil lifting at the base
Mushrooms or fungus on the trunk or roots
Limbs touching the roof, gutters or power lines
Pines turning brown from the top down

What to fix first

Start with anything that could hit the house, a car, a driveway or a power line. A dead limb over the bedroom matters more than a dead tree at the back of the lot. For limbs near lines, call the utility first.

Pruning that helps in a storm

Thinning a dense crown lets wind pass through, and shortening long, heavy limbs reduces the load on them. Avoid topping, which leads to weak regrowth that breaks easily. See tree trimming in Tuscaloosa.

Have a plan for after the storm

Keep your insurance company’s claims number handy
Know how to reach your electric utility
Take photos of your trees and house now, for comparison
Keep the number of a local tree service where you can find it

Related service

Tree trimming in Tuscaloosa

Storm-prep pruning, crown thinning and roof clearance before severe weather.

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