Nature Notes: Dangerous Storms

branches and crocuses — Fallen Branches from Storm Behind Blooming Crocuses

One usually doesn’t think of the rain as being dangerous. As a parent, one often says to kids: “What? Are you going to melt?”

Sadly, the storm this past weekend in New Jersey and in New York ended in tragedy. The winds were ferocious, and some areas were harder hit than others. Numerous people died from being hit by falling trees, including two men (who leave behind mourning families) who were walking home from synagogue late Saturday afternoon in Teaneck, New Jersey.

In Highland Park we were fortunate to suffer only property damage: below is the remains tree that fell on a house near my own. Others had car windows smashed by trees or a fence downed by the wind. Compared to losing one’s life, it is mostly a discussion of who has insurance coverage.
cut tree trunk

And here you can see where it cut into the house it fell upon:
damaged home in Highland Park, New Jersey
I decided to do a little research and discovered that one can study nearby trees to detect if they are unhealthy. Last year friend had noted that a tree overhanging our backyard had leaves on one side but not on the other; this is a sign of the tree’s ill health. My husband and I are happy that we informed our neighbors who own the tree, and they took care of the situation.

Some links for more information on hazardous trees:

Again the cut tree trunk, photo taken in the early evening when I showed it to two of my kids:
tree trunk in the evening

For more Nature Notes, visit Rambling Woods:

Categories: Highland Park, nature

stine, Canada says

I heard on our news that parts of the Eastern U.S. had experienced severe weather. I didn't realize it was New Jersey. How sad that two men were killed by a falling tree.

I'm glad your neighbour took care of that dangerous tree!

Leora says

There were more deaths than just those two, in New York and in New Jersey, but I knew people who knew the two men, so it hits close to home.

Jew Wishes says

How very sad about the deaths, my gosh, from walking home. It is awful, and the destruction, too. Rain and winds can be a dangerous element together.

Robin from Israel says

What a storm. Such a tragedy about the two men, who would have dreamed that just walking home from shul could end in devastation like that.

Eileen says

It is very sad about the deaths, the storm was a dangerous one. Luckily our neighbor remove a dangerous tree that was leaning towards our cars.

Rachel says

That's terrible news for those poor families.

Nature is so very much more powerful than we give it credit, most of the time.

Hasya Ya'ara says

Thank you so much for your kind words.

They are so very appreciated.

Hasya Ya'ara

ramblingwoods says

My BIL wrote me about this...awful.. We had an early season snow in 2006 that caused damage like this and deaths from falling trees. The loss of life was horrific so we too appreciated that all we had was some property damage..I am glad that you and your family are safe Leora.... Michelle

Baila says

We've heard about that nasty storm here in Israel. I'm glad your neighborhood fared relatively well and very sorry about the two men that were killed in Teaneck.

Carver says

I'm sorry to hear that you were hit by strong storms. I'm glad you and your family are alright. Good post and very informative.

Deborah Rey says

We had 67 of those uprooted trees on our land last year, after the tempest they named Klaus destroyed 75% of the forests in the Aquitaine. Some 40 people got killed. Our house looked as if it had been bombed, with three huge trees crushing the roof. Our land has been scarred forever, the lovely forest in the back skinny and sad.
Extremely traumatic experience, let me tell you.