Crown snow loads

Crown snow loads refer to snow that accumulates on trees from moisture in the air. Generally, a gentle breeze is enough to blow light snow off the trees, but the frozen crown snow loads do not budge. It is estimated that in the future, wintertime will bring milder temperatures and more precipitation due to climate change. In the north, this would mean increasing damages caused by crown snow loads. Crown snow loads can weigh a lot – as much as thousands of kilos on just one tree. When snow accumulates in the slender tree crowns, trees can easily bend to the ground and even crack. Falling trees may damage power lines and structures. Of tree species, spruce can withstand crown snow loads the best due to its shape.