Winter in Kansas City can feel unpredictable. Sunny one day, freezing rain the next, and a wind that seems to come out of nowhere. While most of your landscape goes quiet, your trees are dealing with temperature swings, ice buildup, heavy snow, and the stress of winter storms.
This checklist is designed to help KC homeowners protect their property, prevent storm damage, and keep their trees healthy through the coldest months of the year.
Here’s what to look for (and what to do) from December through February.
✔ 1. Start With a Visual Inspection After the First Freeze
Before storms roll in, take a few minutes to walk your yard. Look for:
- Sagging limbs
- Fresh cracks or splits
- Branches touching the roof or gutters
- Limbs hanging low over driveways or walkways
- A new lean or shifting trunk
Most winter damage starts with small warning signs.
✔ 2. Remove Dead or Hazardous Limbs Early
Deadwood becomes extremely brittle in cold weather.
These limbs are the first to snap during:
- Ice storms
- Heavy wet snow
- High winds
If a dead limb is hanging over a car, roof, sidewalk, or neighbor’s yard, winter is the safest time to remove it.
✔ 3. Give Trees Proper Clearance From Your Home
In winter, a single ice-covered limb can do more damage than an entire summer storm.
Make sure branches aren’t:
- Resting on your roof
- Leaning toward your home
- Hanging over gutters
- Blocking exterior lights or walkways
A little trimming now prevents a big cleanup later.
✔ 4. Thin Heavy or Crowded Canopies
Trees with dense canopies are more likely to collect heavy snow and ice.
Thinning allows:
- Better airflow
- Less weight on limbs
- Reduced chance of breakage
- Healthier spring growth
This is especially important for silver maples, locusts, river birch, and Bradford pears, all common in Kansas City.
✔ 5. Pay Special Attention to Evergreens
Evergreens hold snow differently than leafed trees.
Their shape allows snow and ice to accumulate deep inside.
Watch for:
- Branches bending outward
- Gaps in the canopy
- A leaning top (leader failure)
- Limbs that won’t spring back after snow melts
These issues can worsen quickly in late winter storms.
✔ 6. Check for Root and Trunk Problems
Winter makes structural issues easier to spot.
Look for:
- Mushrooms or fungal growth at the base
- Soil lifting on one side
- Soft or spongy areas on the trunk
- Hollow spots or cavities
- Bark peeling in large sections
These signs usually point to internal decay and increased storm risk.
✔ 7. Clear Branches From Driveways and Walkways
Winter means:
- More car traffic
- More deliveries
- More people visiting
Low limbs can break under ice and block paths when you need access most. Clearing them early keeps your home safe and accessible.
✔ 8. Schedule Winter Pruning for Safety and Health
Winter is the BEST time for pruning because:
- Trees are dormant
- Pests and diseases are inactive
- Structure is fully visible
- Cuts heal more cleanly
- Frozen ground protects your lawn
Winter pruning improves safety now and boosts tree health in spring.
✔ 9. Evaluate Any Trees That “Worry You”
Every homeowner has that one tree they keep an eye on.
Common concerns:
- A visible lean
- Large dead sections
- Trees close to the home
- Old storm damage
- Cracks at the trunk
If you’ve been second-guessing a tree, winter is the time to get it evaluated — before late winter storms hit.
✔ 10. Consider Winter Removals for High-Risk Trees
Winter is the safest and most efficient season for tree removals because:
- Trees are lighter without leaves
- Visibility is better
- The ground is firm
- Disease risk is lower
If a tree needs to come down, do it before severe weather arrives.
Need Help Checking Items Off Your Winter Tree Care List?
Cartwright Tree Care has been helping Kansas City homeowners care for their trees through winter for more than 26 years. Our arbor consultants can walk your property, identify risks, and recommend the safest winter care plan from trimming to removals to storm preparation.
Winter weather can be unpredictable, but your trees don’t have to be.
We’re here when you need us.