Hollar Brothers Tree Service Warns: Helene's Hidden Tree Damage Still Threatens Western NC Homes

As warmer months return, tree experts urge property owners to look past the obvious; storm-stressed trees can carry hidden dangers well into the growing season.

Mar. 30, 2026 at 5:35am

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An abstract, impressionistic photograph of a partially obscured neighborhood street scene, with blurred trees and buildings in soft, muted colors, conveying a sense of lingering uncertainty and unease in the aftermath of a major storm.As the foliage returns, the hidden structural damage from a recent hurricane threatens to create new hazards for homeowners in the North Carolina foothills.Hickory Today

The arrival of spring in the North Carolina foothills carries its usual promise: warming temperatures, budding trees, and longer days spent outdoors. But for homeowners across Alexander and Catawba counties, this particular spring arrives with a shadow that the season's greenery may soon hide — the structural aftermath of Hurricane Helene.

Why it matters

When Helene swept through Western North Carolina in late September 2024, the storm delivered what the U.S. Forest Service described as moderate-to-catastrophic damage across more than 190,000 acres of land in the region. Both Alexander and Catawba counties were among the 27 counties included in the federal Major Disaster Declaration. The images of downed trees and cleared debris told one part of the story. The part that remains untold — and potentially more dangerous — is what stayed standing.

The details

Trees that survived a major storm intact on the surface often carry damage that is invisible from the ground. Root systems can be partially uprooted and resettled, leaving a tree that looks healthy but has lost much of its anchoring foundation. Trunks and major limbs can develop internal cracks that don't reveal themselves until a second weather event — or simply until gravity and time take over.

  • Hurricane Helene swept through Western North Carolina in late September 2024.
  • The U.S. Forest Service described the damage as moderate-to-catastrophic across more than 190,000 acres of land in the region.

The players

Hollar Brothers Tree Service

A locally owned and operated tree care company proudly serving Alexander and Catawba counties from its home base in Hickory, North Carolina.

U.S. Forest Service

The agency that described the damage from Hurricane Helene as moderate-to-catastrophic across more than 190,000 acres of land in the region.

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What they’re saying

“Trees that have experienced significant storm stress may also become more vulnerable to secondary threats: pest infestation, fungal decay, and disease can take hold in wood that has been cracked, split, or weakened.”

— NC State Extension

What’s next

North Carolina's storm season does not pause for recovery. The same region that absorbed Helene's impact in the fall will face another active season of severe thunderstorms, high winds, and potential tropical weather beginning in summer. Trees that were left structurally compromised by last year's storm carry a compounded risk: the next weather event does not need to be nearly as powerful to cause a failure.

The takeaway

Proactive pruning — removing dead, damaged, and weakened wood before it becomes a projectile — is one of the most effective steps a property owner can take to reduce storm-related loss. Addressing structural issues now, while trees are beginning their growing season and wounds seal more effectively, is considerably less costly than emergency removal after a failure.