TREE UPROOTING IN THE SUCHEDNIÓW AREA (KIELCE UPLAND) AFTER THE SEVERE STORM OF 23 JUNE 2025 – EVENT ANALYSIS

TREE UPROOTING IN THE SUCHEDNIÓW AREA (KIELCE UPLAND) AFTER THE SEVERE STORM OF 23 JUNE 2025 – EVENT ANALYSIS

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Published: August 2026

ORICD:
https://orcid.org/0009-0003-6071-6609 
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8421-5660 

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Keywords: windthrow, tree uprooting, severe thunderstorm, strong wind, Kielce Upland

Abstract

Severe convective storms accompanied by strong wind gusts represent an important natural hazard affecting forested areas in Poland. On 23 June 2025, such an event occurred in the Suchedniów area (Kielce Upland), resulting in extensive tree uprooting. Tree uprooting (uprooting denudation) is a geomorphological process involving the extraction of soil and sediment together with tree root systems, followed by their short-distance transport and redeposition. The aim of this study was to analyze the meteorological and geomorphological conditions associated with the storm, with particular emphasis on tree uprooting. The research was based on field investigations, including measurements of uproot pit dimensions, soil sampling, and photographic documentation of storm-related damage. Radar imagery was used to assess the spatial characteristics of the event, while sediment samples were subjected to granulometric analysis. Field surveys in the Kruk Forest District showed that approximately 51 m³ of material was displaced over an area of about 2 ha, mainly on sandy soils. Some uproots displayed a distinct bipartite structure composed of humus-rich soil and lighter substrate material, separated by a sharp boundary related to the former root system. This structure suggests that similar storm-induced uprooting denudation may have occurred in the past, highlighting the long-term geomorphological significance of severe wind events.

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