Atmospheric River events not only brings a lot of rain to the area, but wind too. Combine strong winds and heavy rain and trees could get uprooted and power lines could come down. Some trees are weaker than others.Â
"One of the trees we watch out for is a Colorado Blue Spruce. They are notorious for having shallow roots and when soils are really saturated they'll blow over," said Bill Carlos of the Wilbur D. May Arboretum and Botanical Garden.Â
They lost their one Colorado Spruce Tree during last year's epic winter season. The ground was too saturated for the tree to take the snow and wind, and the tree was planted correctly too. This year the ground is not quite as saturated.Â
"After that last snow storm that we had, we haven't had any precipitation and things started drying up a little bit," said Carlos.Â
However, with more rain in the forecast, trees could still go down, especially if your tree is not planted correctly. It only takes wind speeds of 55mph or higher for small trees to get uprooted.Â
"So after 20 or 30 years the tree is in a weakened state and we see them fall down all the time," said Carlos.Â
Siberian Elm trees and Cottonwoods tend to have their branches break off easily too. What you don't want is for the tree itself or its branches to fall on your house or power lines. If you do notice a down power line the best thing to do is to stay far away and call 911. In case the power goes out, it's also a good idea to have an emergency kit that includes a flashlight, batteries, first aid supplies, and a blanket. You'll also want to secure any outdoor items such as furniture.Â
