Joaquin's winds: Can N.J. homeowners avoid Sandy-like tree falls?

Experts weigh in on how people should prepare their properties for the impending storm.

Homeowners surveying their properties in advance of what may be a catastrophic storm next week are too late to take down trees that might not fare well in the potential surge of strong winds, experts say. However, thanks to Hurricane Sandy, there may not be as much tree trimming necessary in the Garden State.

"I hate to say that it helped anything, but Sandy did help to clear out perhaps the most dangerous trees," David Robinson, the state climatologist at Rutgers University, said in a phone interview Wednesday about the impending Hurricane Joaquin.

Tree experts said that because of the time that has passed since the superstorm, trees that did not come down have likely recovered from any damage they may have sustained during Sandy.

"If these storms had been in quick succession, you would have had a higher chance that trees could be damaged in the first one, and come down in the second one," said Dirk Vanderklein, a Montclair State University assistant professor of biology who specializes in plants and their environments.

"But, it's been a couple of years...if a tree made it through (Sandy), it probably has a good chance of making it through another storm."

Tens of thousands of trees across the state were uprooted or blown over during the October 2012 storm. Weather experts say it is too soon to know if Hurricane Joaquin will have the same effect.

The latest model for the storm Thursday has it making landfall in New Jersey at the beginning of next week. However, meteorologists say there are still many possible variations in the storm's track that make predictions difficult.

And, Robinson said, the path it takes in N.J. will determine whether it is a rain-heavy or wind-heavy event, which will effect whether or not it takes down a large number of trees.

"It's something we have to watch really closely," he said.

TREE PREPARATION

There is not enough time before Joaquin potentially hits to take down weak trees, experts said.

"The time to check your trees was about three weeks ago," Judith Stark, the director of the Environmental Studies Program at Seton Hall University, said Wednesday.

"Don't trim them now on your own...it is much better to be proactive than reactive."

In addition to the dangers of homeowners attempting to take down their own trees in advance of the storm, experts advised against disrupting the current environment this soon before Joaquin hits.

Trees, Vanderklein said, adapt to the conditions they regularly encounter. So, the exterior trees in a grouping are likely stronger, and more able to withstand the brunt of heavy winds, than those on the interior of a cluster, he said.

Taking down the exterior trees so close to a heavy wind event "would leave the more vulnerable trees exposed," he said.

PREPARE IN ADVANCE

Tree experts recommended residents call in professionals once a year to survey the trees in their yards. The annual evaluation process, they said, can help determine which trees are healthy, and which may be affected by disease.

"The idea is to analyze the situation, and decide well ahead of time what needs to be done to make the situation safer," said Rick Close, the district manager of Davey Tree's New Jersey office.

"There are many properties in New Jersey with very large, very old trees on them." An annual check-up can determine whether or not they are alive, or see if their roots have been damaged or cut, he said.

In the days leading up to Joaquin, experts said that aside from cleaning up large branches that have already fallen and other debris in the yard that could blow around in heavy winds, residents would be best off leaving the trees as they are.

But, Robinson said, surveying the property to take note of where the trees are located, could be helpful before an emergency situation. "Remind yourself where the trees are relative to the rooms in your house" when deciding where to bunker down during a severe storm, he said.

The good news, he said, is that people have Sandy as a reference point.

"I would think that people learned many lessons (during that storm) that they still retain today."

Jessica Mazzola may be reached at jmazzola@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @JessMazzola. Find NJ.com on Facebook.