Storm Tree Removal OKC
Preparing Trees for Oklahoma Ice Storms
What the 2007 and 2020 ice storms taught the metro.
Central Oklahoma's two most damaging recent ice storms — December 2007 and late October 2020 — both caused massive outages, mostly from falling limbs. In 2020, trees still had their leaves, so ice loaded far more weight than in a typical winter storm.
Before ice season
- Have weak, dead or overhanging limbs removed while it's dry and calm — prices and wait times spike after a storm.
- Watch for co-dominant trunks with tight V-shaped unions and for brittle species like Bradford pear, silver maple and Siberian elm.
- Avoid "topping" trees; it causes weak regrowth that breaks more easily.
During and after
- Don't shake ice off limbs or walk under loaded trees.
- Photograph damage for insurance before cleanup.
- Be wary of door-to-door crews after storms; ask for insurance proof and a written estimate.
Sources
General information only. Not professional, legal or medical advice.