My friend Ted sent these photos.
He writes:
So, we had some storm action about a week ago, too. Very violent thunderstorms in a huge system moved through the area, winds above 100 MPH in places. I think we got 6″ of rain in this immediate area. Some damage was likened to that from a tornado but only one actual tornado was proven to have existed. And about 50 miles away, fortunately.
For amusement, I’ve posted a decent picture of one of our trees that “exploded”. It’s still standing because the upper stories caught, about 35 or 40 feet above ground, on some other trees, but I’m pretty sure the strength of the one pictured, at the disjoint shown, is not very high. It /looks/ like it got pulled upward and jammed downward against an inflexible stop, shattering the trunk outward. The truth may be much more prosaic. The tree is about 10-12 inches in diameter (standardish measurement), and about an inch thicker where it shattered (about two feet above the ground). Cool, huh?
Both Ted and I are wondering if anyone has definitive knowledge of what would cause this sort of damage and/or has seen something similar? I await the benefit of your collective knowledge.
{ 10 comments }
Tom – I don’t, but I asked Ted to see if he knows
mark – since I posted the picture, I’ve had a few people tell me of similar occurrences. Still, it’s obviously not a common outcome of a lightning strike.
Never saw anything like this, but I think it does qualify for an X-file.
Wren- These shots are fascinating, particularly that red inner bark. Do you know what species this tree is?
Tom
lilli & nevada – me either. it’s a bit scary to comtemplate.
anonymous – both Ted and I have heard offline from a couple of people who independently concur with Wayne’s assessment (first comment above) so I’m accepting that as the explanation.
merisi – Ted lives in the Virginia suburbs of DC, as I used to. So it’s that same intense type of storm that caused this. The circle of trunks sounds like several trees experiencing this at once.
It sure is a newsworthy item, I’d say!
I remember storm damage to trees in the Washington DC area (from where I moved to Vienna) that was equally bizarre. After one hurrican caused storm, some fallen trees looked as if a bomb had hit them, and then exploded, with the trunks laying in a circle. Really strange.
I have no answer, but this is amazing!
Oh my gosh i have never seen a tree like that before, I am totally amazed by this.
Wayne – interesting explanation, and one that would never have occurred to me. Thanks!
mon@rch, I’d say I left Virginia because all the trees look weird like that, but you know better.
Wow that is very interesting!
Wow – very dramatic photos. I’ve seen lightning strikes that have blown out the bark the entire length of a tree (the water-laden phloem flash-evaporates) but nothing as dramatic as that.
Still, I’ll be that’s what it was.
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