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Tree crews get set ahead of potential ice storm

Crews tell News 12 that the forecast is a worst-case scenario.

News 12 Staff

Jan 18, 2019, 8:18 PM

Updated 2,134 days ago

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Tree crews get set ahead of potential ice storm
Tree crews are preparing for a possible ice storm this weekend.
Crews tell News 12 that the forecast is a worst-case scenario. News 12 Connecticut's John Craven checked in with Celtic Tree Services in Stratford. They expect long hours this weekend.
They say the expected snow-to-rain mix followed by a flash freeze, with high winds as well, is a dangerous combination.
"The worst thing again is saturated ground, freezing rain, winds," says Conal Breslin, of Celtic Tree Services.
Experts say last year's storms left many trees vulnerable. Crews say white pines are the most vulnerable trees in an ice storm because they're tall and thin, the wood is softer, and they have a more shallow root system.
Tree crews advise clearing snow off shorter ornamental trees before the snow can harden into ice. Check if taller trees are leaning - because if they are, experts say you might be better off staying elsewhere Sunday.
Meanwhile, power crews say they're staffed up should power lines come down. But with widespread outages expected across the Northeast, customers should be prepared to lose power for days.