BATON ROUGE - Across the capital area, several inches of rain over the weekend and on Monday morning triggered flooding and road closures. Most of this is the result of saturated soil and high winds causing trees to fall."During the spring and warmer seasons, we typically see storm systems with hea vier downpours, and we can get one to three inches of rain in a short amount of time," Storm Station Meteorologist Emma Kate Cowan said.Cowan says the heavy rain and wind over 30 miles per hour can have significant effects, especially when it comes to trees falling. The super-saturated ground is causing trees to fall. With more rain and wind on the way, Cowan warns that gusty winds can topple trees and power lines easily.Scott Courtright with Louisiana Tree Service says, “It’s sometimes these spring and early summer sort of micro-burst sort of small unnamed storms where things can just blow up in an instant.”Trees have been under stress due to previous droughts and a recent freeze, making them more fragile."The droughts and freeze caused the trees to shrink and become brittle," Courtright explained. "This makes them more susceptible to damage."A healthy tree helps absorb water, but a damaged one can fall easily. To prevent damage, Courtright suggests homeowners inspect their trees regularly."Water your trees, prune them regularly, and look for signs of distress like dead wood or broken limbs," Courtright said. "Fertilizing your trees can also help keep them healthy."Courtright said it is important to have your trees inspected often. For more information, click here. Permalink| Comments ...read more read less