Storm Last Night - Amazing Lightning Strike on Tree

[jwoair23]

So we had a bad storm pass through Pittsburgh last night, and I was sitting on my porch watching the lightning. All of a sudden the sky lit up like it was day, I saw tons of jagged lightning strikes going everywhere, and the thunder hit as soon as the sky lit up and was the loudest sound I have ever heard. I ran inside like a little girl practically shaking lol So today, I go outside to survey any damage, and find my neighbor's tree got hit all the way up. I have personally never seen anything like this, its just amazing the raw power a storm can have. It ripped the bark right off down into the heartwood of the tree.

My neighbor is debating whether he wants to take down the half of the tree that got hit, I told him I'll help him and take the wood if he decides to do it. Can anyone tell what kind of tree it is, I know the picture isn't that great to tell.

One Question: What is everyone's opinion on whether this tree will live? Will the whole tree die, the whole tree be OK, or will just the half that is ripped all the way up die?

Even if I don't get the wood from this, if he decides to hold off, I got a huge load of pure Oak today on a free Craigslist scrounge, so all is good!

 

[Cowboy Billy]

Its hard to say if it will make it or not. But that tree took a heavy hit. What usually happens is that it burns the roots and the whole tree will die. I have a elm by my house that took a hit almost that hard but it is five times bigger in 2006. And its sill growing good. But most likely the whole tree will die. But I can't tell what type of tree it is. And some trees handle lightning strikes better than others.

Billy

 

[Backwoods Savage]

We had 3 oaks get hit like that a few years ago and the wood and bark flew 30 yards! Yes, they died. Can't tell from here what that tree is.

 

[certified106]

Once they get hit like that you might as well take the whole tree down as it's just a matter of time before it dies. Pretty amazing strike thanks for the picture.

 

[Cowboy Billy]

The reason the bark blows off like that. Is that the current going through the tree boils the water in it and turns it to steam and that blows the bark off.

Billy

 

[jwoair23]

I figured it was probably doomed, and you guys are right about the bark flying, we found a 5 foot long section 20 yards away, and smaller pieces even farther than that a couple neighbors over, I am still just in awe of the power!

 

[My Oslo heats my home]

Incredible story, the power of nature right in your backyard. It's also a good scrounge when you get the saw out. It looks debatable whether or not the tree will make it. To be better safe than sorry later I would take it down, it's going to good use either way.

 

[osagebow]

Cool pic! Give us a close up leaf pic and these guys can ID it for you- looks like small leaflets and pinnately compound...my WAG is honey locust - good BTU's and easy to split if so. If it's a locust and damaged, it will quickly become an ant farm if it's not already.
man, I miss those Pittsburgh hills....

 

[TimJ]

Most of the circumfrence on the tree still has its bark. If it was 50% the tree would be in trouble. I can walk through my woods and see the scars of many trees that have been hit by lightning over the years. Most make it but for some the insects will find their way into the crevices and get diseased, although much later.

 

[jwoair23]

Hey guys here is a picture of the bark and leaves up closer if there is any chance of ID'ing the tree.

There is a TON of black locust in his yard, not sure if this is honey locust like someone above said, I can ID black locust easily by the bark/leaves but this bark is unfamiliar to me?

 

[bogydave]

I guess cherry but not sure.

Fries the hair roots under ground, the electricity follows the water down into the roots, probably have under ground damage like you see above ground.
Even if it makes it a few more years, it's open to rot & insect damage now. It will do nothing but get weaker over time.
IMO Better him & you to take it than have a wind storm take it
May make some great ball bats, saw that on a movie once. LOL

 

[jwoair23]

I agree bogydave, I think its better we take it down instead of waiting for it to come down, I just have to convince him of it. I was actually thinking cherry also, as the bark reminds me of a cherry I took down once, but I have very limited tree ID experience at this point.

I am sitting at 5.85 cords (just measured today lol) so if I get this tree I will break six and be on my way to seven cords, woo hoo!

 

[Blue Vomit]

That's cherry. That lightning bolt has good taste!

 

[jwoair23]

That's cherry. That lightning bolt has good taste!

I know, now that I know its cherry I am going to up my persuasion efforts to take that sucker down! lol

 

[firefighterjake]

Another vote for "Likely It's Only a Matter of Time Before It Dies."

 

[bluedogz]

Had a similar strike on a black cherry in my yard... sent a 2' shard STRAIGHT THROUGH the garage roof like a spear, back in '010.

I will burn that cherry this winter.

 

[osagebow]

Yeah, I was going off the wrong tree LOL...have fun with the cherry

 

[jwoair23]

Update:
It's been about one week since I posted this, and just thought you guys might be interested to know the half of the tree that had the strike has already died/is dying. Half the leaves are brown and crispy already, and the other half are wilting quickly.

The second half of the tree looks OK so far, but we are pretty sure the whole tree will die like you all said. Still working on our plan to take it down, I'll update with pics once we do!

 

[Lumber-Jack]

That's cool.
Next time try and get a video of the actual strike.

I've seen a few douglas fir trees that have been hit by lightning, takes them years and years to die. They make terrible firewood, full of pitch because they basicly bleed to death.

 

[clemsonfor]

looks like cherry. And even if it dosent die it will rot out over the years and then crack over most likely.

 

[amateur cutter]

Update:
It's been about one week since I posted this, and just thought you guys might be interested to know the half of the tree that had the strike has already died/is dying. Half the leaves are brown and crispy already, and the other half are wilting quickly.

The second half of the tree looks OK so far, but we are pretty sure the whole tree will die like you all said. Still working on our plan to take it down, I'll update with pics once we do!

Cool half the wood pre dried by the lightning strike! Ready to burn LOL. Seriously though, I'll bet the MC is way down in that tree. Be careful taking it down, it may have internal splits you can't see. A C

 

[Defiant]

One Question: What is everyone's opinion on whether this tree will live? Will the whole tree die, the whole tree be OK, or will just the half that is ripped all the way up die?

]

The best thing to do is to cut it into 18" sections and ship to me

 

[ScotO]

Yeah that's a cherry tree (not sure how I missed this post last week but I did), and I would definatly take the stricken half down ASAP. The other half might live, but it will be weakend over the years as the stump of the other side decays. Not to mention it will look totally out of balance if the one side is left go. I would push him to get the whole tree taken down, be careful in doing so. One nice thing, that is a nice pile of primo firewood! One of the best smelling woods out there, gotta love that cherry!

 

[jwoair23]

Yeah that's a cherry tree (not sure how I missed this post last week but I did), and I would definatly take the stricken half down ASAP. The other half might live, but it will be weakend over the years as the stump of the other side decays. Not to mention it will look totally out of balance if the one side is left go. I would push him to get the whole tree taken down, be careful in doing so. One nice thing, that is a nice pile of primo firewood! One of the best smelling woods out there, gotta love that cherry!

Totally agree with everything you said Scotty! He now wants to take down the whole tree, just working out how we are going to do so, he doesn't have the money to pay for a crew, so I am trying to get my fiancee's sister's boyfriend (foliow that?) who has a tree service to help us out. Its too tall to just drop without hitting a house nearby, so we just need both sides topped then we can take down the rest!

 

[ScotO]

Totally agree with everything you said Scotty! He now wants to take down the whole tree, just working out how we are going to do so, he doesn't have the money to pay for a crew, so I am trying to get my fiancee's sister's boyfriend (foliow that?) who has a tree service to help us out. Its too tall to just drop without hitting a house nearby, so we just need both sides topped then we can take down the rest!

maybe work out a deal with the fiance's sister's boyfriends couzin (LOL, just bustin ya buddy!), where all he has to do is top it for ya. Then you can break out your saws and do the rest of the job. Maybe a case of beer, couple burgers off the grille, some corn on da cob and an evening of laughter would suffice as payment, eh? Worth asking, anyway! Good luck, keep us posted and remember, we need pics!