This past year brought extreme weather swings, from saturated spring soils to a hot, wet midsummer and then a hot, dry finish, creating one of the most stressful growing seasons we’ve seen in years. These conditions weakened trees, increased fungal activity, and accelerated pest reproduction. As a result, many common insects and diseases are already more active than usual and are likely to emerge next spring at even higher levels, putting more trees at risk heading into 2026.