Damaging winds are expected this Sunday, and the combination of rainfall and snowmelt from warmer air will make the ground saturated and create a greater risk for downed trees and power outages.
Both NYSEG and National Grid say they're already preparing for the high winds this Sunday and have extra crews available for the weekend.
"We've had a series of internal meetings mostly with the operations folks," David Bertola, National Grid Spokesperson, said. "In recent weeks we've had over a 1000 people ready to do this kind of work."
You may remember two years ago in March of 2017 when a damaging wind event with similar high wind gusts of around 70 mph caused widespread damage, including bringing down power lines, derailing a train in Batavia, and knocking over many trees.
"Mostly it's Evergreens that blow over, but that last one we even saw big Deciduous trees blow over," Chris Nicastro, a manager at The Tree Doctor in Clarence, said. "60 {mph} you start to see things break off, blow over, especially the Evergreens. 70 is substantial...with the ground being as soft and as wet as it is, we're most likely going to see some damage."
Nicastro says there are tips and things to look out for even in your own yard. "If you want to take a quick scan around the base of some of the bigger trees you may park next to, look for any mushrooms... that's evidence of decay fungi... there's a potential for the tree to fail," Nicastro explained. "If you see dead trees, stay away from those... do not hang around or park by Evergreens... are shallow rooted and they keep that full canopy all year."
And finally, Nicastro reminded the best preparations to come well in advance of a storm.
"Do not wait for a storm like this to be forecast before you have a certified arborist come take a walk around your property. It only takes a matter of 15 to 20 minutes for a trained eye to walk most of the properties around here and point out most of the hazards... that may cause damage... and in fact, many companies give free estimates."