HOW THE HECK DOES THIS HAPPEN?

Written by: Bob Metcalfe

I'd like to thank Beth from Butler, NY for sending us this picture you see. Just so you know, Butler is on the far east periphery of our viewing area in eastern Wayne county.

I was quite surprised on the time frame of this picture. She said that this poor, unsuspecting tree was struck by lightning in her yard on Saturday morning. Now I live in Irondequoit and I had nothing more than a few sprinkles fall during the morning. It goes to show you that even a weak storm with just a strike or two poses a threat.

But why is it that trees explode as they are struck? Wires don't explode when they run electricity right? There's actually a very simple explanation.

Lightning is hot. You don't need me to tell you that. But it's so hot that when it strikes and object like a tree, it flash boils all the water and gases contained within it. We all know that there's water contained in living wood, remember that hiss you hear when you throw a fresh log on the fire? Well this rapid expansion of gases is obviously too much for the tree to handle so the end result is what you see above.

Bottom line, and like we tell all the classes we visit during the school year: trees aren't a good place to hide during a thunderstorm, no matter how much lightning there is.