The day saw sustained winds of up to 32 miles per hour, and gusts into the 50s, according to the National Weather Service’s station in Lake Clear.

Sam Churco was at work when it happened. When he got home, he was met with the sight of the tree leaning on his roof. It was one half of a split spruce. The other of the tree’s two trunks was toppled by weather two months ago. Sam’s son Zach said the inside wood was punky and soft.

Sam said the tree crashing into his roof split a ridge beam and several rafters in the attic, and damaged the metal roof from front to back.

“It could be worse,” he said.

A mighty spruce tree was toppled by winds and hit Sam Churco’s home in Saranac Lake on Tuesday. (Provided photo — Sam Churco)

Inside, he said a glass vase fell and smashed a butter dish below it.

An Asplundh tree crew cut the tree out of the roadway on Tuesday. Sam and Zach chopped up the rest of the trunk Wednesday morning.

Zach Churco takes in the size of the spruce which hit his father Sam’s house during Tuesday’s wind storm. (Provided photo — Sam Churco)