Indiana's Severe Weather Reality
Bloomington sits in one of the more storm-exposed parts of the Midwest. South-central Indiana gets hit from multiple directions — Gulf moisture fuels powerful spring thunderstorms from the south, cold fronts sweep down from the Great Lakes, and the collisions between warm and cold air masses spawn tornadoes. Add the ice storms that regularly coat Monroe County trees with an inch or more of glaze ice in winter, and you have year-round threats to the trees on your property.
Indiana's tornado season runs roughly from March through June, with a secondary peak in the fall. The National Weather Service in Indianapolis issues severe thunderstorm and tornado watches for Monroe County multiple times each spring. The 2024 severe weather season brought notable tornado and storm damage to communities across the greater Bloomington region, reinforcing how real these risks are for Monroe County property owners. Ice storms are most likely from December through February, and a single event can deposit hundreds of pounds of ice weight on branches that simply were not engineered to carry that load.
Why Bloomington Trees Are Particularly Vulnerable
The hardwood forests of Monroe County are dominated by large, long-lived species — white oak, red oak, sugar maple, tulip poplar — that regularly reach 80 to 100 feet tall. These are magnificent trees, but their size means they carry enormous destructive potential when they fail. A mature white oak with a 24-inch trunk can weigh well over 10,000 pounds.
Several factors make storm failure more likely in our area. Emerald ash borer has killed the vast majority of ash trees in Monroe County, leaving brittle standing snags throughout residential neighborhoods that grow more structurally unpredictable each season. Trees that were topped in years past — an improper pruning practice that removes the upper canopy — grow back with weakly attached water sprouts that are among the first things to break in high winds. And co-dominant stems, where a trunk splits into two roughly equal sections joined by included bark, can fail explosively under ice or wind load.
Your Pre-Storm Tree Inspection: What to Look For
Walk your property and examine each significant tree before storm season peaks in March. You are looking for specific warning signs that indicate a tree or limb is likely to fail under storm stress. Dead branches in the upper canopy are commonly called widow makers — they can fall without any further provocation and are especially dangerous because they are not obvious from the ground until leaves have dropped in fall or winter. Cracks or splits in the trunk or major limbs are a serious structural red flag. V-shaped branch unions where two stems of roughly equal diameter share the same origin point deserve close attention, as these commonly harbor included bark that becomes a failure point.
Mushrooms or fungal conks growing at the base of a trunk indicate internal decay in the roots or lower stem. A lean that appears to have increased compared to prior years — sometimes accompanied by soil heaving near the base — suggests root failure is underway. Branches hanging directly over your roof, vehicles, or power service lines represent a specific hazard that warrants prompt attention. Large cavities or wounds that have not closed over are also cause for professional evaluation. Finding two or more of these conditions on the same tree is a strong signal to have an ISA-certified arborist assess it before storm season is fully underway.
Co-Dominant Stems and Included Bark: The Hidden Failure Point
Co-dominant stems are one of the most common structural problems in Monroe County's trees, and one of the most misunderstood. They form when two stems of roughly equal diameter grow upward from the same origin point on the trunk, creating a tight V or U shape at the junction. The tissue that forms at that junction — called included bark — acts like a wedge pressing the two stems apart rather than a solid wood union holding them together.
As the stems grow heavier and longer over decades, included bark junctions become increasingly likely to fail. A strong sustained wind or a significant ice load can split a co-dominant stem suddenly and dramatically, sending a large section of the canopy to the ground — and onto whatever is beneath it. If you have a large, mature tree with two stems of roughly equal diameter rising from the same point, an ISA-certified arborist should evaluate it before storm season. In many cases, a structural cable installed between the stems can significantly reduce the failure risk without requiring removal of the tree.
Protecting Structures Before a Storm Arrives
The most effective storm protection happens well before any weather system is on the forecast. Trees with identified structural problems — co-dominant stems, significant internal decay, large accumulations of deadwood — can be addressed with structural cabling, preventive pruning, or removal before they fail. A dynamic cabling system installed by a certified arborist limits the range of movement in a weak union during high winds, supplementing the tree's structure without harming it.
For branches hanging directly over your roof or vehicles, directional pruning removes the highest-risk portions while preserving the tree's natural form. This is not topping. It is targeted work that removes specific overhanging limbs back to appropriate lateral branches, following ANSI A300 standards for proper cut placement. Done correctly by an ISA-certified arborist, it can meaningfully reduce the amount of material at risk over your home while keeping the tree healthy and growing for decades to come.
After the Storm: First Steps for Monroe County Homeowners
After severe weather passes, survey your property from a safe distance before approaching any damaged trees. Look carefully for partially fallen limbs that are still suspended in the canopy — called hangers or widow makers — because these can drop without any further warning and are especially common after ice storms that bend branches beyond their load capacity. Do not walk or park underneath trees with visible canopy damage until a professional has assessed them.
If a tree or large limb has contacted your home, do not attempt to remove it yourself. Trees resting on structures are under tension and compression that is not obvious from the outside. A cut in the wrong location can cause the tree to shift suddenly, causing far more structural damage or injuring someone nearby. Call a professional before anyone touches the tree.
Document all damage with timestamped photographs before any cleanup begins. These images are critical for insurance claims. Contact your insurance company promptly to report the damage and get a professional written assessment of any trees that appear structurally compromised, even those that did not fall completely. Partially failed trees often become full failures in the next weather event.
Emergency Tree Service in Monroe County
Bloomington Tree Service Pros operates a 24/7 emergency storm response for Monroe County property owners. When a tree comes down on your home or across your driveway at 2 a.m., you need a crew that answers the phone — not a voicemail. We maintain a live dispatcher around the clock, 365 days a year, and we give honest arrival estimates based on actual crew locations and current call volume.
Do not wait for the next storm to address trees you already know are a concern. A free pre-storm assessment from our ISA-certified team costs nothing and gives you the information needed to make smart decisions before weather forces the issue. Call (812) 432-2013 to schedule a storm-readiness evaluation for your property.