ATLANTA — More rain is in the forecast for metro Atlanta on Wednesday, and arborists say the wet weather is increasing the risk of falling trees.

Certified arborist Rusty Lee said leaning trees can become especially dangerous after days of heavy rain.

“We’ve had two in the last couple days where there were trees growing underneath bigger, larger trees. And again, they were looking for sunlight. All of the limbs were on one side of the tree. There was nothing on the backside to help hold it. And the soil just gave way. They were perfectly healthy, not anything that we would consider to be hazardous to begin with,” Lee said.

Lee said many people do not realize how shallow tree roots can be in Georgia because of the state’s compact clay soil.

“A lot of people don’t realize that the critical root zone in Georgia is only in the top 10 to 14 inches of soil, so the roots don’t go very deep because our clay is so compacted,” Lee said.

Lee said the combination of saturated soil, shallow roots and uneven weight from limbs can cause trees to topple.

He recommends homeowners check for leaning trees around their property and contact a certified arborist if they have concerns.