Lightning never strikes the same place twice.

lazyBum · #1 04/22/12, 10:06 AM

Mostly because it does such a good job the first time.

Dad was checking out the fence in the woods and kept seeing wood chips everywhere. He thought the neighbors had thrown it over but couldn't see where there had been any activity over there. Then he found the source.

Lightning never strikes the same place twice. - The Great Outdoors

Lightning never strikes the same place twice. - The Great Outdoors

There was pieces of that tree scattered for about a 300 foot radius. Giant splinters stabbed into the ground like javelins. Even pieces of the bark was stabbed into the ground. The bark is separated from the trunk. There is about three inches blasted off near the root. And there is a little crater in the dirt where it went underground.

I've seen trees split before, or a streak down the trunk, but never exploded like this.

braggscowboy · #2 04/22/12, 12:42 PM

I would guess the moisture rising (sap) was heated to such an intense tempature so quickly caused it to explode. Had a very large red oak out here by the house that was hit and exploded, but just in one limb. Knock a piece out of the tree about 10' long. Did not kill the tree. Bad stuff. Seems like I read once that lighting kills more people than other storms.

CIW · #3 04/22/12, 02:46 PM

Don't tell my Uncle Earl. He was struck twice in his life. The second time it blew out the ends of 2 of his toes and had a burn scar down the side of his body. Lived to be 94 yo.

EDDIE BUCK · #4 04/22/12, 02:50 PM

Yep lightening can do a number on a tree alright.

About four years ago I was walking through my garden after a thunderstorm the night before,and there were splinters,pieces of bark and ripped off limbs scattered everywhere.

I looked all around and did not see any damage to any trees.After about a week I noticed my huge oak tree at the end of my garden,the one I set under to cool off regularly,was looking kinda droopy.The leaves were wilting like a plant does in the hot sun.
I walked over to it, and started to walk around it and saw the whole back side of the tree was blown off.Then I found out where all the pieces of tree came from.

braggscowboy · #5 04/22/12, 02:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CIW

Don't tell my Uncle Earl. He was struck twice in his life. The second time it blew out the ends of 2 of his toes and had a burn scar down the side of his body. Lived to be 94 yo.

All he needed was to be charged once in a while! No telling how long he could have lived if he was struck again. He had a lot of good stories to tell I bet! Don't make them like that anymore? He did not have to study history, he live it!

FreightTrain · #6 04/22/12, 05:12 PM

did you carefully dig around the base and look for some fulgerites? (its when the electricity turns the dirt into a glass structure that looks like roots) ive seen some selling for over $50 a gram!!

lazyBum · #7 04/22/12, 06:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CIW

Don't tell my Uncle Earl. He was struck twice in his life. The second time it blew out the ends of 2 of his toes and had a burn scar down the side of his body. Lived to be 94 yo.

I bett he didn't like storms after that.

Quote:

Originally Posted by FreightTrain

did you carefully dig around the base and look for some fulgerites? (its when the electricity turns the dirt into a glass structure that looks like roots) ive seen some selling for over $50 a gram!!

The thought never crossed my mind, but I will go back next weekend and look.