---
title: Windthrow: When Wind Tips a Tree at the Roots
url: https://battleborntreeservice.com/glossary/windthrow/
business: Battle Born Tree Service
address: 6301 US Highway 50 East, Carson City, NV 89701
phone: 775.232.8243
hours: Office Monday-Friday 8:30 am-5:00 pm; phones answered seven days a week; 24-hour emergency service
credentials: ISA Certified Arborist WE-11728A on staff; Nevada Business License # 20131580674; fully insured
type: Tree service (removal, crane work, pruning, stump grinding, defensible space, snow removal, firewood)
---

- [Home](https://battleborntreeservice.com/)
- [Arborist glossary](https://battleborntreeservice.com/glossary/)
- Windthrow

# What is windthrow?

Windthrow is when wind blows a tree over at the roots, so the whole root mass and soil tilt up out of the ground. It is different from a trunk or limb snapping, which arborists call breakage.

## How to recognise it

The signs are a tree leaning in a new direction, soil heaving up on the side away from the lean, and cracks in the ground, lawn or paving near the base. A tree that stands at an angle but has a curved, long-established top is probably an old lean. A tree whose lean is recent, with lifting soil and exposed roots, is a different matter and needs a look right away. Our guide on a [tree leaning toward the house](https://battleborntreeservice.com/guides/tree-leaning-toward-house/) has the checks.

The part of the root system that anchors a tree is the [root plate](https://battleborntreeservice.com/glossary/root-plate/). In windthrow, that plate lifts.

## Why it matters in Northern Nevada

The Washoe Zephyr and strong downslope winds along the Sierra front are real forces, and the trees that go over are often the ones whose roots are limited by sidewalks, fences, trenches or shallow soil, or whose crowns carry wet snow. Irrigated lawn trees grow roots shallow, since they find water near the surface. A storm after a wet period is a classic setup. See [Washoe Zephyr and downslope winds](https://battleborntreeservice.com/guides/washoe-zephyr-wind-tree-prep/).

Trees in groups often lose their shelter when a neighbouring tree is removed, so a tree that was fine for decades can be suddenly exposed.

## What an arborist does about it

After windthrow, the first priority is people: keep clear, and call 911 if anyone is hurt and NV Energy if a line is involved. Then call us on the 24-hour line, [775.232.8243](tel:775.232.8243). A fallen tree on a structure, driveway or road is cleared by section, and a leaning tree that has not yet fallen is assessed for whether it can be saved or must come down. Not every lifting tree can be re-set, and an arborist will tell you honestly which kind you have.

### Sources

- [International Society of Arboriculture, Trees Are Good: Storm-Related Tree Damage (brochure)](https://www.treesaregood.org/Portals/0/siteContent/pdf/Web%20TAG%20brochures/TAG_CBweb_Storm%20Related_v2.pdf) (read October 17, 2026)

### Talk to the office

[775.232.8243](tel:775.232.8243)

| Monday to Friday | 8:30 am - 5:00 pm |
|---|---|
| Saturday and Sunday | Office closed, phones answered |

Phones answered seven days a week. 24-hour emergency service.

[Free estimate](#quote)

### Keep reading

- [Arborist glossary](https://battleborntreeservice.com/glossary/)
- [Washoe Zephyr and downslope winds: preparing your trees](https://battleborntreeservice.com/guides/washoe-zephyr-wind-tree-prep/)
- [A tree fell on the house: first hour checklist](https://battleborntreeservice.com/guides/tree-fell-on-house/)
- [Emergency tree service and storm clean-up](https://battleborntreeservice.com/tree-services/emergency-tree-service/)

## See also

[Reaction wood](https://battleborntreeservice.com/glossary/reaction-wood/) [Root plate](https://battleborntreeservice.com/glossary/root-plate/) [Root heave](https://battleborntreeservice.com/glossary/root-heave/) [Buttress roots](https://battleborntreeservice.com/glossary/buttress-roots/)

## Pages that use this term

[Lodgepole pine](https://battleborntreeservice.com/tree-guide/lodgepole-pine/)