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Austin · Ice storms
Ice Storm Tree Damage in Austin
In early February 2023, nearly an inch of ice coated Austin. Live oaks and other evergreen trees, which hold their leaves through winter, collected enormous loads and broke apart across the city. An estimated 10.5 million trees in the region were damaged, ice-laden limbs caused most of the outages that left about 174,000 customers without power at the peak, and some waited 12 days.
Call availability varies by area and time of day. Calls are answered by an independent tree service provider.
February 2023
Freezing rain fell from January 31 into February 2, 2023. Unlike ice storms in the Midwest, where most trees are bare in winter, Austin's live oaks, cedar elms and ligustrum still carried leaves. Every leaf collected ice, and limbs broke by the thousands. Residents described hearing limbs crack all night.
Austin Resource Recovery brought in contractor crews and collected more than 115,000 cubic yards of storm debris in the first ten days. Public Works cleared more than 1,250 sites from city streets and sidewalks. Austin Energy later acknowledged that the scale of canopy damage had overwhelmed its system.
Many trees that looked ragged afterward recovered with proper pruning. Others, with split trunks or most of their crowns lost, had to be removed.
Debris, permits and pruning rules after the storm
Residents could request large debris pickup through 3-1-1 and drop limbs at the Hornsby Bend facility at no charge. Pruning storm-damaged protected and heritage trees still falls under Austin's tree rules: removing 25 percent or more of the canopy, or removing a protected tree, needs a Tree Ordinance Review Application.
In oak wilt areas, fresh wounds on oaks should be painted right away, even in winter, to keep sap beetles away as spring approaches.
Why did Austin's trees break so badly?
Because evergreen trees hold their leaves in winter, and leaves catch ice. A live oak with a full crown carries many times the ice load of a bare deciduous tree. Long, horizontal limbs and trees that had been lion-tailed, with foliage only at the tips, failed most. Utility clearance had also fallen behind, so many limbs were close to lines.
- Evergreen crowns
- Live oaks and ligustrum loaded heavily.
- Long limbs
- Leverage at the ends broke them.
- Lion-tailing
- Tip-heavy limbs failed first.
Damage that still shows
Torn stubs where limbs broke
Should be cut back cleanly to the collar or a branch.
Sprout clusters on broken limbs
Weak regrowth needing selective thinning.
Cracks in remaining limbs
Can split further in the next storm.
Oaks wilting in late spring
Possible oak wilt through storm wounds.
Restoring an ice-damaged live oak
Remove hangers first
Broken limbs caught in the crown.
Clean up broken ends
Cut to the collar or a side branch, and paint oak wounds.
Do not strip the interior
Interior foliage helps the tree recover.
Wait a season
See where new growth appears before structural pruning.
Reduce long limbs over time
Shorter limbs carry less ice.
How Austin trees handled the ice
| Tree | Damage | Outlook |
|---|---|---|
| Live oak | Heavy limb loss | Usually recovers with good pruning |
| Cedar elm | Moderate | Recovers well |
| Ligustrum and other evergreen ornamentals | Heavy | Often replaced |
| Pecan | Moderate to heavy | Brittle limbs |
| Bald cypress | Light | Bare in winter |
Austin ice storm questions
Do I need a permit to prune my ice-damaged heritage oak?
If the work removes 25 percent or more of the canopy, yes. Ordinary cleanup of broken limbs below that is generally allowed.
Will my live oak recover?
Most live oaks that kept a sound trunk and much of their crown recovered within a few seasons.
How long did power outages last?
Up to 12 days for some customers, mostly because of ice-laden branches on lines.
How can I prepare for the next ice storm?
Have long limbs reduced, remove dead wood and avoid lion-tailing. Keep trees clear of service lines.
Ice Storm Tree Damage help in Austin
Call to be connected with an independent tree company that works in Austin, TX.
(844) 955-1716Call availability varies by area and time of day
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