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Sacramento prepares for potential tree hazards ahead of winter storm

With the storm on the way, Sacramento homeowners are preparing for the gusty conditions to start turning up.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — As Northern California braces for a winter storm, in the City of Trees where falling branches are a major potential hazard, it may leave people wondering what they could do. 

ABC10 spoke to a tree specialist for some tips on how homeowners could prepare. 

Rodney Morgan, a tree care specialist, said year-round maintenance is critical. For now, his crew is on standby in case they're needed. 

"As we see the ground shifting around of the base of the tree, that means the tree is very unstable," Morgan said. "You need to get someone on-site as soon as possible." 

RELATED: Winter Storm to bring inches of rain and feet of snow to northern California

Thousands of people in the Sacramento area lost power during January's storm. Eileen Secor,  the public information officer for SMUD says line crews are at the ready. 

"Should there be any outages related to weather, we're able to restore power as quickly and safely as possible," Secor said.

With the storm on the way, homeowners are preparing for the gusty conditions to start turning up. 

Roth Ehnisz knows what he is facing tonight could be just the calm before the storm. He said his inflatables will have to come down before the winds arrive. 

"Just a big old branch fell in the middle of the road (during January's storm)," Ehnisz said. 

WATCH MORE: Storms with rain, snow and wind expected to hit Northern California from late Saturday to Tuesday

Major travel impacts are expected for the Sierra with strong winds, flooding, and possible power outages for the valley.

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