Do summer weather conditions, such as drought, affect the strength of tree limbs in the following winter?

Question

Do drought or overly wet weather conditions in the spring & summer affect the strength of tree limbs in the next winter? Can tree limb breakage due to ice or wind be predicted somewhat by past season's weather?

Answer 1

I can't say definitively whether drought has an effect on the strength of branches but anecdotaly I think there may be some truth to the idea, at least for certain species. Here in Lincoln, Nebraska we had been in an extended drought the past five years. We started noticing that ashes, particularly green ash were losing sizable limbs, 4-6 inches in diameter, at odd times, when there were no winds, or other obvious causes. Our theory is that the wood had essentially become brittle over time because of a lack of moisture. Ash is probably most susceptible because it's a pretty brittle wood regardless. This year we've had a seven inch surplus and have seen very little in the way of unexplained breakage. So are drought and limb breakage associated? From a scientific point of view we don't know, but it seems like something that would be worth looking at further.

Answer 2

Look at it his way - you can tell what the weather conditions were for a given year by looking at the tree's rings. If the rings are very narrow, it was especially hot and dry those years. If the rings are thick, it was especially wet and moderate that year.

So, in effect, a hot dry year will produce branches that aren't as thick as a wet moderate year. But, consider that the branches will have most likely been growing for years. So, one or two years of drought will not have an appreciable impact on the overall branch formation.

Whether or not a tree is susceptible to breakage during an ice storm is more a function of the amount of ice on the branch (severity of the ice storm) than the previous summer conditions.

Answer 3

When a tree comes under attack from a natural condition like a drought, the tree knows it is under attack and will try to save itself. By pulling its reserves into itself, you will definitely notice that limbs suffer from loss of water before the rest of the tree usually. Nature cant always keep up but you can certainly help by watering your trees yourself. Dont think that the amount of watering you do wont help a large tree, because it will help. It isnt known whether one dry season can cause any great amount of damage. The drought would need to be sustained for a couple of years before there are measurable differences. Good luck

Answer 4

they can soak the tree root heavy befor the ground frezes will help spring leafing