Reference data
Tree risks by state
The main tree risks in the U.S. are regional: hurricanes on the Gulf and Atlantic coasts, ice and heavy snow in the North, monsoon wind in the desert Southwest, and pests such as emerald ash borer across the Midwest and Northeast. This table lists the leading risks, common trees and peak seasons for 51 states and DC.
Tree risks by state at a glance
- 25states list emerald ash borer as a leading tree risk
- 18states list hurricanes or tropical storms
- 37states list ice or heavy snow
Counts reflect the leading risks named on each state guide, not every risk present in a state. Last updated 2026-10-04. Download CSV
State tree risks, species and seasons
| State | Leading tree risks | Common trees | Seasons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Tornadoes; Hurricanes; Southern pine beetle; Water oak decay; Steep, rocky slopes | Loblolly pine, Water oak, Southern live oak, Hackberry and sweetgum, Bradford pear | March–May: Peak tornado season; Nov–Dec: Secondary tornado season; June–November: Hurricane season on the Gulf Coast |
| Alaska | Spruce beetle; Windstorms; Heavy wet snow; Wildfire | White spruce, Black spruce, Paper birch, Aspen, Balsam poplar and cottonwood | Late spring: Snowmelt reveals winter breakage; crews book quickly; Summer: Main working season; wildfire season; Fall–winter: Windstorms and early snow; frozen ground helps access |
| Arizona | Monsoon microbursts; Shallow roots from irrigation; Over-thinning and lion-tailing; Heat and sunscald; Mistletoe | Palo verde, Mesquite (velvet, honey, South American hybrids), Ironwood, Eucalyptus and African sumac, Palms (date, fan, queen), Aleppo and Afghan pine | Winter–early spring: Best window for structural pruning of most desert trees; May–June: Thin dense crowns before monsoon; avoid heavy pruning in extreme heat; June 15–Sept 30: Monsoon season; emergency calls peak after storms |
| Arkansas | Ice storms; Tornadoes; Southern pine beetle; Line clearance | Loblolly and shortleaf pine, Post, white and red oaks, Sweetgum, Bradford pear, Eastern redcedar | Winter: Ice storms, especially in the north; Spring: Tornado and severe storm season; Summer: Drought stress; pine beetle risk |
| California | Drought and bark beetles; Wildfire; Offshore wind events; Atmospheric rivers; Protected natives | Coast live oak and valley oak, Eucalyptus, Canary Island and Mexican fan palms, Monterey and Aleppo pine, Western sycamore, Coast redwood (in cities) | Winter: Dormant pruning for deciduous trees; atmospheric-river storms and saturated soils; Spring: Defensible-space work ahead of fire season; Summer–Fall: Drought stress, summer limb drop, fire season; offshore wind events from fall into winter |
| Colorado | Snow on leafed-out trees; Downslope wind; Drought; Emerald ash borer; Hail | Green ash, Silver maple and Siberian elm, Plains cottonwood, Blue spruce and ponderosa pine, Honeylocust and linden | Sept–Oct: Early snow on leafed trees; shake snow off gently from below; Winter: Good time for pruning and removals; watch for downslope winds; April–May: Late snowstorms on new leaves |
| Connecticut | Tropical storms and nor'easters; Snow on leafed-out trees; Roadside trees and lines; Defoliation and drought | Red and white oak, Sugar and red maple, Eastern white pine, Ash, Black birch and tulip tree | Late summer–fall: Tropical storms and early snow; Winter: Nor'easters, ice and snow; Late winter: Good pruning window |
| Delaware | Nor'easters and tropical remnants; Emerald ash borer; New-edge trees; Summer thunderstorms | Loblolly pine, Tulip poplar, Red maple, Willow and pin oak, Ash | Late summer–fall: Tropical storm remnants and hurricanes offshore; Winter–early spring: Nor'easters on saturated soil; Late winter: Good time for planned pruning and removals |
| District of Columbia | Derechos and summer storms; Tropical remnants; Aging street canopy; Emerald ash borer and lanternfly | Willow oak, Tulip poplar, Red maple, American elm, Callery pear | Summer: Thunderstorm and derecho season; Aug–Oct: Tropical remnants; Winter: Dormant-season pruning and planned removals |
| Florida | Hurricanes and tropical storms; Saturated sandy soils; Short-lived oaks; Lightning; Invasive species | Live oak, Laurel oak, Sabal (cabbage) palm, Queen palm, Slash and sand pine, Mahogany and gumbo limbo | Dec–May (dry season): Best window for structural pruning and planned removals before storm season; June 1–Nov 30: Hurricane season; prune dead wood and hangers early; crews are scarce after storms; Aug–Oct: Peak hurricane activity; secure or remove failing trees before this if possible |
| Georgia | Tall pines near homes; Aging water and laurel oaks; Tropical storms inland; Ice storms; Clay soils and construction damage | Loblolly pine, Water oak and laurel oak, Willow oak and white oak, Tulip poplar, Sweetgum | Winter: Best time for removals and pruning of most hardwoods; Spring: Severe thunderstorms; pine beetle activity rises with heat; June–November: Tropical-storm season; drought stress in late summer |
| Hawaii | Albizia; Hurricanes and Kona storms; Coconut palms; Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death | Albizia, Coconut palm, Monkeypod, Banyan, ʻŌhiʻa | June–November: Central Pacific hurricane season; Winter: Kona storms; heavy rain and southerly wind; Year-round: Palm trimming roughly every few months to a year |
| Idaho | Summer windstorms; Wildfire; Snow loading; Drought and beetles | Ponderosa pine, Douglas-fir, Silver maple and Siberian elm, Cottonwood, Western white pine | Summer: Windstorms and fire season; Winter: Snow loading; good time for removals; Spring: Thin and clear ladder fuels before fire season |
| Illinois | Derechos and straight-line winds; Emerald ash borer; Ice and heavy wet snow; Tornadoes; Saturated clay soils | Green and white ash, Silver maple, Honeylocust, Bur and white oak, Callery (Bradford) pear | Winter: Frozen ground protects lawns from equipment; good time for removals and oak pruning; Spring: Avoid pruning oaks April–July (oak wilt is present in Illinois); Summer: Peak season for derechos, downbursts and storm cleanup |
| Indiana | Emerald ash borer; Severe storms and tornadoes; Ice storms; Utility line clearance | Ash, Silver maple, Sugar and red maple, Oaks and tulip poplar, Callery pear | Spring: Severe storms and tornadoes; Summer: Derechos and straight-line winds; Winter: Ice storms; good season for planned removals of dead ash |
| Iowa | Derechos; Emerald ash borer; Ice storms and heavy snow; Damaged survivors | Silver maple, Ash, Bur and white oak, Hackberry and honeylocust, Cottonwood | Spring–summer: Severe storms and derechos; Winter: Ice and snow; planned removals on frozen ground; Fall: Good time to plant replacement trees |
| Kansas | Ice storms; Pine wilt; Tornadoes and straight-line winds; Line clearance | Scots and Austrian pine, Eastern redcedar, Hackberry and bur oak, Silver maple and Siberian elm, Cottonwood | Winter: Ice storms; Spring–summer: Tornadoes, hail and wind; Late winter: Remove pine-wilt-killed pines before beetles emerge |
| Kentucky | Ice storms; Windstorms; Emerald ash borer; Karst and thin soil; Tornadoes | Pin and bur oak, Silver maple, Ash (green, white, blue), Hackberry, Callery pear | Winter: Ice storm risk; good time for planned removals; Spring: Severe storm and tornado season; Late summer: Remnant tropical wind and drought stress |
| Louisiana | Hurricanes and tropical storms; Formosan subterranean termites; Shallow roots in wet soil; Decay in water and laurel oaks; Lightning | Southern live oak, Water and laurel oak, Bald cypress, Southern magnolia, Crape myrtle and Chinese tallow | June–November: Atlantic hurricane season; prune deadwood before the peak in August–October; Spring: Formosan termite swarms (evenings, around lights); Winter: Good time for structural pruning and planned removals |
| Maine | Ice storms; Nor'easters and wet snow; Browntail moth; Emerald ash borer | White pine, Red spruce and balsam fir, Sugar and red maple, Red oak, White and gray birch | Winter: Ice and nor'easters; browntail web pruning; Spring: Snowmelt reveals breakage; saturated soil; Fall: Early storms; good time to remove risky pines |
| Maryland | Derechos and severe storms; Tropical remnants and nor'easters; Emerald ash borer; Spotted lanternfly; Ice | Tulip poplar, Red maple, Willow and pin oak, Loblolly pine, Tree-of-heaven | Summer: Derecho and thunderstorm season; Aug–Oct: Tropical remnants; Winter: Ice risk; good time for removals |
| Massachusetts | Nor'easters; Heavy wet snow; Asian longhorned beetle; Tropical remnants; Emerald ash borer | Norway and red maple, Northern red oak and white oak, White pine, Honeylocust and London planetree, Eastern hemlock | Winter: Nor'easters and heavy snow; Spring–fall: Watch for round exit holes on maples (Asian longhorned beetle); Aug–Oct: Tropical remnants |
| Michigan | Emerald ash borer; Ice storms; Summer windstorms and tornadoes; Heavy snow; Oak wilt | Ash, Silver and Norway maple, Red and pin oak, Siberian elm and cottonwood, White pine and spruce | Winter: Best time for oak pruning and many removals; ice storm risk; April–July: Avoid wounding oaks (oak wilt); Summer: Thunderstorm and tornado season |
| Minnesota | Emerald ash borer; Straight-line winds and derechos; Snow and ice loads; Oak wilt; Dutch elm disease | Green and white ash, Silver maple, Bur and red oak, American elm, Spruce and pine | Nov–Mar: Prime removal season: frozen ground, dormant trees, crews available; April–July: Avoid pruning oaks (oak wilt); spring snow on leafed trees; Summer: Severe storms and straight-line winds |
| Mississippi | Hurricanes; Tornadoes; Storm debris and fire; Pines near houses | Loblolly and longleaf pine, Southern live oak, Water and laurel oak, Southern magnolia, Pecan | Spring: Peak tornado season; June–November: Hurricane season, especially on the coast; Late fall: Secondary tornado season |
| Missouri | Ice storms; Tornadoes and straight-line winds; Emerald ash borer; Pin oak chlorosis and decline; Summer drought | Pin oak, Silver maple, Ash, Sweetgum, Callery pear and Siberian elm | Winter: Ice storm risk; good time for dormant pruning and removals; Spring: Tornado and severe-thunderstorm season; Summer: Heat and drought stress; straight-line winds |
| Montana | Wind; Mountain pine beetle; Wildfire; Early and late snow | Ponderosa pine, Lodgepole pine, Douglas-fir, Cottonwood, Green ash and elm | Spring and fall: Wet snow on leafed-out trees; Summer: Wildfire season and thunderstorms; Winter: Chinook winds; planned removals |
| Nebraska | Emerald ash borer; Pine wilt; Early and late snow; Wind and ice | Ash, Scots and Austrian pine, Silver maple, Bur oak, Eastern cottonwood | October and April: Snow on leafed-out trees; Spring–summer: Severe storms and wind; Late winter: Remove pine-wilt-killed pines before beetles emerge |
| Nevada | Desert wind storms; Power lines; Wildfire; Heat and irrigation | Aleppo and Mondell pine, Mesquite, Fan palms, Mulberry, Jeffrey pine | Spring: Windiest season in Las Vegas; trim before it; Summer: Monsoon thunderstorms and heat stress; Fall–winter: Snow in the north; good pruning season in the south |
| New Hampshire | Ice storms; Nor'easters and wet snow; Emerald ash borer; Hemlock woolly adelgid | White pine, Eastern hemlock, Red oak, Sugar and red maple, Ash | Winter: Ice storms and nor'easters; Summer: Thunderstorms and occasional tropical remnants; Late fall–winter: Planned removals on frozen ground |
| New Jersey | Nor'easters and tropical systems; Spotted lanternfly; Emerald ash borer; Heavy snow and ice; Salt and sandy soil at the shore | Pin oak and red oak, London planetree, Norway and red maple, Callery pear, Tree-of-heaven | Winter: Nor'easters and ice; good time for removals; Spring: Scrape and destroy lanternfly egg masses; Aug–Oct: Tropical storm season |
| New Mexico | Bark beetles in drought; Wildfire; Siberian elm; Wind | Piñon pine, Ponderosa pine, Siberian elm, Cottonwood, Juniper | Spring: Windy season; brittle limbs fail; Summer: Fire season and monsoon storms; Winter: Best time to remove beetle-killed trees and thin |
| New York | Nor'easters and coastal storms; Heavy wet snow; Ice storms; Pests; Tight urban sites | London planetree, Norway maple, Pin oak and red oak, Ash, Eastern hemlock | Winter: Ice and snow; good time for removals on firm ground; April–July: Avoid pruning oaks where oak wilt is present; Aug–Oct: Tropical remnants and early nor'easters |
| North Carolina | Hurricanes and tropical remnants; Ice storms; Aging planted canopies; Pines on cleared lots | Willow oak, Loblolly pine, Tulip poplar, Red maple and sweetgum, Eastern hemlock (mountains) | Dec–Feb: Ice-storm risk in the Piedmont; good window for removals; Spring: Severe thunderstorms; Aug–Oct: Peak tropical-storm risk |
| North Dakota | Wind and blizzards; Aging shelterbelts; Dutch elm disease; Ash-heavy towns | Green ash, American elm, Cottonwood, Boxelder and Siberian elm, Colorado spruce | Winter: Blizzards; frozen ground helps shelterbelt work; Spring: Flooding and wet snow; Summer: Thunderstorms, hail and drought stress |
| Ohio | Lake-effect snow; Derechos and severe storms; Emerald ash borer; Ice storms; Invasive Callery pear | Ash, Silver and Norway maple, Callery pear, Pin and red oak, Honeylocust and London planetree | Late fall–winter: Dormant-season pruning and removals; watch for early lake-effect snow; Spring: Ice and wind; avoid pruning oaks in spring; Summer: Derecho and thunderstorm season |
| Oklahoma | Ice storms; Tornadoes; Straight-line winds and hail; Drought; Weak-wooded planted trees | Post and blackjack oak, Bradford pear, Silver maple, Pecan, Eastern redcedar | Oct–Mar: Ice storm season, including early-season ice on leafed trees; April–June: Peak tornado and severe-storm season; Summer: Heat and drought stress |
| Oregon | Ice storms; Winter windstorms on wet soil; Emerald ash borer; Wildfire and drought; Root rot in conifers | Douglas-fir, Western redcedar, Bigleaf maple, Oregon white oak, Oregon ash | November–February: Windstorms and ice storms; most emergency calls; Late winter–spring: Good time to reduce weak limbs before the next winter; Summer–fall: Drought stress and wildfire season, especially south and east |
| Pennsylvania | Spotted lanternfly; Nor'easters and tropical remnants; Steep slopes; Heavy wet snow and ice; Emerald ash borer | Tree-of-heaven, Red and Norway maple, London planetree, Pin and red oak, Black cherry and tuliptree | Winter: Dormant-season pruning and removals; frozen ground helps on slopes; Spring: Lanternfly egg masses can be scraped from bark and destroyed; Summer–fall: Thunderstorms and tropical remnants; adult lanternflies active |
| Rhode Island | Hurricanes and nor'easters; Spongy moth and drought; Dense older neighborhoods; Coastal exposure | Red, black and white oak, Norway maple, Red maple, White pine | Late summer–fall: Hurricane season; Winter–spring: Nor'easters and wet snow; Late winter: Good time to remove dead oaks before storm season |
| South Carolina | Hurricanes and tropical storms; Tall pines; Southern pine beetle; Flooding and saltwater; Water oak decay | Southern live oak, Loblolly and longleaf pine, Water and laurel oak, Sabal palmetto, Sweetgum | June–November: Hurricane season; prune deadwood early; Summer: Lightning and thunderstorm season; Winter: Best time for planned removals and structural pruning |
| South Dakota | Mountain pine beetle; Emerald ash borer; Blizzards and ice; Hail and wind | Ponderosa pine, Green ash, Cottonwood, Bur oak, American elm | Spring and fall: Heavy snow on leafed-out trees; Summer: Hail, wind and fire season in the Hills; Winter: Planned removals; ash work on frozen ground |
| Tennessee | Tornadoes and severe storms; Shallow soils over limestone; Ice storms; Drought; Emerald ash borer | Hackberry, Callery (Bradford) pear, White and southern red oak, Sugar and silver maple, Eastern redcedar | Winter: Dormant-season pruning; ice storm risk; Spring: Peak severe-storm and tornado season; Late fall: Secondary severe-weather season (December 2023) |
| Texas | Oak wilt; Hurricanes and tropical storms; Severe thunderstorms, hail and tornadoes; Ice storms and hard freezes; Drought | Live oak, Red oaks (Shumard, Texas red), Pecan, Cedar elm, Ashe juniper ("cedar"), Loblolly pine and water oak | Winter (Jul–Jan for oaks): The safer window for pruning oaks; good time for removals and structural work; Feb–June: Avoid pruning or wounding oaks (oak wilt); spring storms and hail in the north; June–November: Atlantic hurricane season on the Gulf Coast; summer drought stress statewide |
| Utah | Canyon east winds; Heavy wet snow; Drought and irrigation habits; Ash-heavy canopies; Japanese beetle | Green and white ash, Norway and silver maple, Siberian elm, Honeylocust, Blue spruce and pines | Spring: Wet snow on new leaves; good pruning window before summer; Summer: Drought stress; watering habits matter; Fall: Canyon wind events and early snow |
| Vermont | Ice and snow; Flood-damaged banks; Emerald ash borer; Aging roadside maples | Sugar maple, White pine, Eastern hemlock, Paper and yellow birch, Ash | Winter: Ice and snow; planned removals on frozen ground; Spring: Mud season limits equipment access; Summer: Thunderstorms and flood risk |
| Virginia | Hurricanes and nor'easters; Derechos and summer storms; Ice storms; Southern pine beetle; Emerald ash borer | Loblolly pine, Tulip poplar, Willow and white oak, Red maple, Southern live oak | June–November: Atlantic hurricane season on the coast; Summer: Derecho and thunderstorm season inland; Winter: Nor'easters and ice; good time for planned removals |
| Washington | Winter windstorms; Root rot; Drought dieback; Snow and ice; Steep slopes | Douglas fir, Western red cedar, Bigleaf maple, Red alder, Pacific madrone | Oct–Mar: Windstorm season; saturated soils raise uprooting risk; Late winter: Good timing for many removals and structural pruning; Summer: Drought stress; fire risk east of the Cascades |
| West Virginia | Derechos and thunderstorms; Heavy wet snow; Steep slopes; Emerald ash borer | Tulip poplar, Red and white oak, Sugar and red maple, Eastern hemlock, Ash | Summer: Severe storms and derechos; Winter: Heavy snow and ice in the mountains; Late fall: Good time for planned removals |
| Wisconsin | Oak wilt; Emerald ash borer; Summer windstorms; Heavy snow and ice; Lake Michigan wind | Red and pin oak, Bur and white oak, Ash, Sugar and silver maple, Honeylocust and linden | April–July: Avoid pruning or wounding oaks (oak wilt); Summer: Thunderstorm and downburst season; Winter: Best time for oak pruning and many removals |
| Wyoming | Wind; Spring snow; Mountain pine beetle; Drought | Plains cottonwood, Lodgepole pine, Colorado blue spruce, Green ash, Siberian elm | Spring: Heavy wet snow; budburst; Summer: Wildfire season; drought stress; Fall–winter: Strongest winds; planned removals |
How to cite this data
You may reuse this table under CC BY 4.0 with a link back. Suggested citation:
TreeRemovalServices.net, "Tree risks by state," updated 2026-10-04, https://treeremovalservices.net/data/tree-risks-by-state/
See also: tree removal rules by city and all state and city guides.
Need help with a tree?
Call to speak with a local tree-service provider about removal, trimming, stumps or storm damage. Describe the tree and what it's near, and they'll explain the next step.