A snow-covered garden often hides a problem above your head. Heavy snow puts extra weight on branches, bending them and sometimes causing them to break. Evergreen trees and shrubs retain foliage through winter, leaving more surface for snow to collect.
If snowfall has left your tree with a broken branch, a split or an unfamiliar lean, keep your distance. Start by checking from a safe position, then seek professional advice if you spot damage.
ICS Tree Services provides tree surgery for homeowners across Leeds and West Yorkshire, including pruning, tree removal and emergency tree work.
How do you recognise snow damaged trees?
Look for changes in your tree’s shape and position after snowfall. Warning signs include:
- Broken branches hanging within the tree.
- Splits where large branches join.
- Branches resting on a roof, fence or vehicle.
- A new lean.
- Lifted soil or exposed roots around the base.
A tree still standing deserves attention if its structure has changed. Suspended branches also present a risk, even after the snow has melted. Inspect from a distance rather than walking underneath the crown.
What should you do first?
Keep people and pets away from the affected area. If a damaged branch hangs over a path, driveway or seating area, stop using the space until someone has assessed the tree.
Avoid climbing the tree, using a ladder or pulling a hanging branch. Large damaged limbs require professional assessment and controlled removal. Photographs help explain the problem when you contact a tree surgeon. Take them only from a safe position. Include a wider view showing the tree’s location and nearby buildings.
Does snow damage mean the whole tree needs removing?
No. A broken branch does not automatically mean losing the tree.
The right response depends on the location and severity of the damage, the tree’s overall condition and the surrounding space. Some trees need damaged branches removed. Others need more extensive work.
An inspection should establish whether retaining the tree is a sensible option. Avoid relying on a photograph alone for a final decision about safety.
Should you brush snow off branches?
The RHS advises removing excess snow as it starts building up on trees and hedges to reduce the risk of breakage.
Limit this to small, accessible plants where you have safe footing and no overhead danger. Use a gentle approach. Leave large trees, split limbs and hanging branches to a tree professional.
Once damage has occurred, removing snow is no substitute for assessing the affected branch.
How do you prepare your trees for winter?
Ask for advice before winter if you have concerns about weak branch junctions or existing damage. Good branch structure improves resistance to snow and ice loads, and appropriate pruning helps address structural weaknesses. Pruning requirements and timing depend on the individual tree. Snow Damage Q&A
Explain where you have noticed a problem and how you use the surrounding area. A tree beside a busy driveway needs a different assessment from one in an unused corner of the garden.
Help with snow damaged trees in Leeds
If snowfall has damaged a tree in your garden, speak to ICS Tree Services about the next step.
Tell us where the tree stands, what has changed and whether branches affect access or nearby buildings. Include photographs if you have taken them safely.
Call 01977 680666 or 07782 251881, or use our website enquiry form to request advice and a quotation.