Falling Trees in Alabama: Why It’s a Deadly and Overlooked Threat

The spring season brings blooming flowers, milder temperatures, outdoor activities, and seasonal allergies. However, in the southern region of the United States, including Alabama, one must add severe weather to the list.

Get our free mobile app

Falling trees are an issue during severe weather threats. While the National Weather Service does not collect specific data on deaths caused by falling trees, it does monitor and record fatalities linked to wind-related incidents.

The Weather Channel provided an overview of wind-related fatalities. “Wind killed 71 people and injured more than 210 in the U.S. in 2023.”

“Of those killed by wind in 2023, seven were in mobile homes and nine in permanent homes. Fourteen of the victims were in vehicles. Four were children under the age of 10. Four others were people in their 80s.”

Getty Images

According to the National Weather Service, in 2023, "six wind-related deaths in Alabama occurred. Five of those deaths were categorized as other, and one was in the vehicle/towed trailer category."

Falling trees are not only an issue during the severe weather season. Trees can topple over during heavy rains, flooding, and even during the winter season.

The Weather Channel's senior meteorologist, Jonathan Erdman, said, "there are several things people can do to help avoid tragedies from falling trees, regardless of where you live or what time of year it is.”

Erdman's tips include “taking shelter for a severe thunderstorm warning, just as you would for a tornado warning, in a basement or, if not available, an interior room on the lowest floor of your home.”

If outside or in a vehicle, “seek shelter in a substantial, sturdy building as soon as possible,” said Erdman.

Tree Tips

Here are a few tips about trees that have been passed on to me regarding protecting your home, which in turn protects your family.

Always prune and maintain your trees.
Consider removing weak or dead trees.
Look beyond your property line for trees that could impact your home during wind events.
Strategically plant trees a safe distance from your home.
And, as my father would say, if you know nothing about trees, consult a professional.

Mary K. – Weather Forecaster

LOOK: The most extreme temperatures in the history of every state

Stacker consulted 2021 data from the NOAA's State Climate Extremes Committee (SCEC) to illustrate the hottest and coldest temperatures ever recorded in each state. Each slide also reveals the all-time highest 24-hour precipitation record and all-time highest 24-hour snowfall.

Keep reading to find out individual state records in alphabetical order.

Gallery Credit: Anuradha Varanasi

25 costliest hurricanes of all time

Although the full extent of damage caused by Hurricane Ian in the Southwest is still being realized, Ian is already being called one of the costliest storms to ever hit the U.S. Stacker took a look at NOAA data to extrapolate the costliest U.S. hurricanes of all time.

LOOK: The most expensive weather and climate disasters in recent decades

Stacker ranked the most expensive climate disasters by the billions since 1980 by the total cost of all damages, adjusted for inflation, based on 2021 data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The list starts with Hurricane Sally, which caused $7.3 billion in damages in 2020, and ends with a devastating 2005 hurricane that caused $170 billion in damage and killed at least 1,833 people. Keep reading to discover the 50 of the most expensive climate disasters in recent decades in the U.S.

Gallery Credit: KATELYN LEBOFF