A 50-foot-high fir tree was toppled by heavy winds sometime early Sunday morning onto a home in the 1300 block of West Lathrop Road, just west of Union Road.

Joe Weber, owner of the 1,200-square-foot rental, said the home was empty as the most recent occupants had moved out just a week ago. He said he was readying the property for another renter when he discovered the tree had fallen on the structure.

Gusts in the valley were recorded at speeds in excess of 45 mph over the weekend. Rain will return today with a stronger storm expected by Thursday that will being more winds as well as rain to the valley and snow to the Sierra.

Weber, who has owned the house since 1979, said the tree split above its base with half of the root structure ripping apart.

Just by luck, he added, the tree fell onto the flat roof just above the kitchen where two upright wall structures were only 10 feet apart to prevent greater damage to the roof.

He said it was fortunate that the tree partially split rather than being uprooted by the wind gusts that would have brought the full weight of its trunk and branches down across the center of the house.

Weber said there was no immediate estimate of damages.