How much wind is too much?

[slinger]

Red flag warning is when I quit cuttin and go set trusses on a building

 

[Mikecutstrees]

I agree it depends on the tree. On a solid tree especially without leaves not much bothers me. I was up in a big sugar maple this winter and the wind was blowing 20-30mph. The problem was the wind was following me. Everywhere I cut it seemed the wind was blowing the chips in my face. At one point after getting sick of eyeballs full of saw chips I just closed my eyes for a second or two while sawing. Not safe I know, but I was tired of the chips. The space between my eye ball and my glasses actaully got packed with chips. I had to sweep it out. yuck...... Mike

 

[Rickytree]

I agree it depends on the tree. On a solid tree especially without leaves not much bothers me. I was up in a big sugar maple this winter and the wind was blowing 20-30mph. The problem was the wind was following me. Everywhere I cut it seemed the wind was blowing the chips in my face. At one point after getting sick of eyeballs full of saw chips I just closed my eyes for a second or two while sawing. Not safe I know, but I was tired of the chips. The space between my eye ball and my glasses actaully got packed with chips. I had to sweep it out. yuck...... Mike

Mother Nature is against you! Yoou left her in bed with saying good bye! Kidding, nice website! Took me about 20 seconds to catch on to the menu though.

 

[treejon]

I took an 80ft spruce down 2 weeks ago in 30 mph sustained and 45-50 mph gusts. What it comes down to is how much and when. Mine was next to a house of a very nervous client. I'd have rather not been up there, but that was the situation. Healthy tree, just nerve racking to look at. When I got down, it was like I'd been on lake erie all day.

 

[Rftreeman]

I'm with the others, can't really put out an mph that I'll stop working, I've work pre and post hurricanes and during sever thunder storms and the wind blew pretty dang fast and hard during those times, it was pretty fun being in a tree and swaying around in the wind.

 

[ntsarborist]

it also has alot to do with if im climbing or if im using the bucket truck. if i think it safe to work than we work if i think that the wind is to strong where its not safe then we will not work. also what spieces of tree and how tall, leaves or no leaves, tempurature, dead or alive, what there is that is being work around(houses, sheds, powerlines), rain, snow. theres many factors that go into accounting for. just use self judgement.

have a good day

 

[TreeTopKid]

I don't mind gusts but sustained wind anything over 30mph is a big fat NO! I hate it when the wind blows and the tree rocks over and just sits there leaning while your bowels loosen up. That's not good man! Just think of the loading on that tree.

How long it can hold up? Did it just groan? Hope it sits back soon, are good examples of things not to be saying to yourself in a tree.

 

[arbadacarba]

Its not just the wind, but the temperature too. During the growing season you can get away with a lot more than during the winter when the wood can become very brittle. The rule of thumb up here is 25mph or less if the wind is working with you, but in the winter you really have to watch out for the barbers at that speed .

I once had to cut some alder in February in gusts up to 80mph to keep them from coming down on a water tank. Twenty three years later it still scares the:censored: out of me thinking about it - those suckers were doing fifty foot barbers all by themselves. I sure as heck wouldn't have done it on a contract!

 

[jefflovstrom]

Man, This wind thing made me forget something.
Jeff

 

[forestryworks]

Well some of you guys have crossed the line from bravery to stupidity.
I have worked under contracts that stated all climbing must stop at 30mph wind gusts. I have never seen a climber make it to actual 30 mph. I have held the wind speed meter and read 25 mph gusts, at that point flags are horizontal, dust is blowing, and you have to hold your hard hat on your head.
I saw a crane job, removing large dead pines, shut down at less than 30mph. Because the pieces kept blowing into the crane boom.

:agree2:

 

[arborworks1]

Yeah 50 mph starts ripping tree branches off. No thanks, its not always windy, that tree will still be there on a calm day.