Large tree blown over onto a lawn and sidewalk after high winds

Nashville, TN · tornadoes and storms

Storm Damage Tree Removal in Nashville, TN

Nashville has had two destructive tornadoes in four years, in March 2020 and December 2023, and severe thunderstorms in between. After a storm, clear trees on houses and NES lines first, then split, twisted and leaning trees. Thin soil over limestone means trees uproot easily in saturated ground. Right-of-way trees need Metro Urban Forestry approval.

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When you need storm damage tree removal in Nashville

Uprooted, split or snapped trees and hanging limbs after wind, ice or hurricanes.

A tree is uprooted, or the root plate has lifted and the soil is cracked.
The trunk or a main fork is split open.
Large broken limbs are hanging in the crown.
The tree now leans where it didn't before the storm.
Ice or wind stripped most of the crown from one side.

Often needed with: Emergency Tree Removal services, Tree Trimming & Pruning services, Tree Risk Assessment services, Tree Removal services.

Call and we'll connect you with a tree-service provider for storm damage tree removal in Nashville.

Call about a tree emergency

Storm damage in Nashville that can't wait?

Call now if you have any of these in Nashville:

A tree on the house, garage or car
A fallen tree blocking the driveway or road
A tree or limb touching a power line
A tree leaning more than it did yesterday, with soil lifting
Large broken limbs hanging over people or the roof
A storm-damaged tree that could still fall

Lines first: if a tree touches a power line, stay at least 35 feet away and call the electric utility or 911 before anyone works on it.

Call about a tree emergency Emergency Tree Removal services

What storm damage tree removal in Nashville includes

Assessment: What the tree could hit, its condition, and access.
Job planning: Whether it can be felled or must come down in sections.
Sectional removal and rigging: Limbs and trunk lowered on ropes near buildings.
Crane work when needed: For big or decayed trees over structures.
Brush and debris cleanup: Chipping branches and raking the work area.
Wood hauling or leaving rounds: Agree in advance which you want.
Stump options: Grinding is usually a separate line item.
Property protection: Mats, plywood or careful drops to protect lawns and drives.

What to confirm in a storm damage tree removal quote in Nashville

Quotes differ mostly in what they include. Ask each provider to put these in writing so you can compare like for like:

Which trees are included: fallen, leaning, hanging limbs
Removing hangers from trees that stay
Hauling debris, or cutting it to the city's curbside size limits
Cleanup pruning of damaged trees you're keeping
Stump grinding for removed trees
Itemizing structure work separately for insurance

Before you call about storm damage tree removal in Nashville

These answers let a provider in Nashville tell you on the first call what the job involves and roughly how it'll be done.

How many trees are damaged: And which are down vs. still standing
Type of damage: Broken limbs, hangers, split trunks, uprooted
Anything hit: House, car, fence, lines
Hangers over people or the roof: These go first
Ground conditions: Still waterlogged? Equipment can rut soft lawns
Debris plan: Hauled, or cut for curbside pickup
Insurance: Whether you'll need itemized work and photos

Safety and permission checks

Power lines: stay at least 10 feet from overhead lines (OSHA's minimum distance for unqualified workers) and call the utility; only line-clearance-qualified tree workers cut closer.
Underground lines: call 811 a few days before stump grinding or digging so buried utilities are marked for free.
Permits: ask the city or county before removing or heavily pruning a large tree; protected-tree sizes and street-tree rules vary by place.
Who is responsible: a tree on your lot is usually yours, street (right-of-way) trees are usually the city's, and trees on lines are the utility's to clear.
Doing it yourself: picking up small fallen limbs is a homeowner job; chainsaw work off a ladder, near lines or on anything that could hit a building is not.

Have your answers ready? Call and we'll connect you with a provider serving your area.

Call for tree service

How getting storm damage tree removal in Nashville works

1
Tell us what's happening
Call and describe the tree, where it is and how urgent it is.
2
Get connected
Your call goes to an independent tree-service provider serving your area.
3
The tree is assessed
The provider looks at the tree, what's around it, and access for equipment.
4
Scope and price are discussed
You get the plan and price directly from the provider, before any work.
5
You decide
There's no obligation; you choose whether and when to go ahead.

TreeRemovalServices.net is a referral service and doesn't perform tree work. How it works

Local conditions

Local storm damage tree removal considerations in Nashville

What's specific to this work in Nashville: local storms, trees, access, rules and costs.

Nashville at a glance

Recent tornadoes: March 2020 (North and East Nashville), December 9, 2023 (Madison)
Soil: Thin soil over limestone; shallow roots
Right-of-way trees: Metro Urban Forestry approval
Private lots: Usually no Metro permit on single-family and duplex lots

Last updated October 3, 2026

What tornadoes do to trees

Tornadoes don't just knock trees over; they twist, debark and shred them. The March 2020 tornado through North Nashville, Germantown and East Nashville, and the December 9, 2023 tornado through Madison, left trees snapped, uprooted and hanging in ways straight-line winds rarely do. Surviving trees often have twisted trunks, hidden cracks and stripped crowns.

A twisted or debarked survivor can decline for a year or two before it fails. Have trees within reach of the house assessed even if they're still standing.

Aerial view of a neighborhood with damaged roofs and downed trees after a severe storm — An aerial view of storm damage to a neighborhood.

Shallow roots over limestone

Much of Nashville has thin soil over limestone, so roots spread wide and shallow. In saturated ground, those root plates lift easily, and trees uproot in winds that wouldn't topple them on deeper soil. A tree with soil heaved up on one side after a storm has compromised anchorage and should be treated as urgent.

Clearing tornado and storm damage in Nashville

1
Triage
Walk the property from a safe distance and list trees on structures, trees on lines, blocked exits, and hangers over walkways.
2
Emergency removals
Trees on structures and blocking access are removed first, usually in sections with rigging.
3
Hazard pruning
Hangers and broken stubs are removed from trees that will stay, with clean cuts at a branch collar.
4
Re-evaluate
Once the urgency passes, have an arborist look at the damaged trees that are still standing and decide what to keep.

Tree trunk split and snapped by wind, with the broken top on the ground — A trunk snapped by wind with the top on the ground. A split to the ground like this usually means removal; broken small limbs usually don't.

Debris and hauling after a Nashville storm

After major storms, Metro has run special debris collection for storm vegetation placed at the curb. Cut wood and brush need to be set out separately from construction debris and away from storm drains and mailboxes. Agree with the tree company on whether they haul or stack at the curb, and check Metro's announcements for each event.

Tornado cleanup: safe vs. not

Do this now

Stay inside during the storm and away from windows on the side facing large trees.
Afterward, look for hangers before walking under any tree.
Check whether your city is running a curbside debris program before paying to haul brush.
Keep all receipts. Tree work may count toward insurance or disaster-assistance claims.

Never do this

Don't run a chainsaw on wood that's bent, pinned or twisted. It can spring violently when cut.
Don't approach any tree near downed lines. Lines can be live even when the power is out.
Don't hire a company that wants full payment before starting.

Trees that fail first

Hackberries, very common and decay-prone with age.
Bradford pears, which split at narrow forks.
Trees damaged by infill construction, which decline and drop limbs a few years later.
Any tree with soil lifted on one side after the storm.

After the storm in Nashville

Emergency Tree Removal
For trees on houses and NES lines.
Hazardous Tree Removal
For twisted and cracked survivors.
Stump Grinding & Removal
After removal, where limestone allows.

Infill construction and storm failures

Nashville's building boom has put new houses next to old trees across East Nashville, Germantown and the Nations. Construction often cuts or compacts roots, and those trees decline and fail in storms a few years later. If a big tree near your lot lost roots to construction, have it assessed before the next severe-weather season.

Nashville storm tree questions

Should I remove a tree that survived a Nashville tornado?

Not automatically. If the trunk isn't twisted or split and most of the crown remains, many recover. Twisted trunks, cracks and lifted root plates are reasons to remove it.

Why do so many Nashville trees uproot in storms?

Thin soil over limestone keeps roots shallow, so saturated root plates lift easily in strong wind.

Who do I call for a tree on a power line in Nashville?

Nashville Electric Service (NES), and 911 for sparks or fire.

Do I need a Metro permit to remove storm-damaged trees?

Usually not on single-family or duplex lots. Right-of-way trees and designated protected or heritage trees need Metro approval.

Will Metro pick up storm debris after a Nashville tornado?

After major storms Metro has run special curbside collection for storm vegetation. Separate it from construction debris and follow Metro's announcements for each event.

How much does storm cleanup cost in Nashville?

It depends on how many trees, what they hit, access and hauling. See the tree removal cost factors.

When is tornado season in Nashville?

Spring is peak, but Middle Tennessee also sees late-fall and winter tornadoes, like December 2023's.

Who removes storm-damaged trees near me in Nashville?

Insured local tree services. You can call us to reach an independent provider in Nashville.

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