Photo: Strong Winds Turn Dying Trees Into Dangerous Obstacles

A neighbor living near Bedford Avenue and Avenue V woke to this scene today. A tree limb that weighs several hundred pounds had tumbled down from where it had loomed over his car when he parked the night before. He was lucky – it was a light grazing, and he called police to file a report, according to our tipster Marina K.

It’s a scene we see all over the neighborhood when winds are strong. And they’re pretty strong right now; in fact, we’re currently under a National Weather Service advisory warning of strong, gusty winds reaching up to 50 miles per hour. The advisory lasts until 6:00 p.m. today.

The problem is worse in the flood zone, where the salty waters or Superstorm Sandy have dried up root systems and weakened trees. We’ve seen precarious conditions on, and received lots of complaints about, tree-lined blocks in Manhattan Beach, Plumb Beach and Sheepshead Bay.

Be careful out there. Keep your eyes on the tree line, and try not to park under larger limbs. If you do, make sure to check on your car well before you have to go to work – you might find yourself calling in late to deal with the aftermath.