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Posted by Bill S on September 13, 2006 at 10:58:15 am EDT
In reply to Re: Thunderstorms posted by Chumango on September 13, 2006 at 9:20:48 am EDT

Found my copy of "Lightning Strikes (by Jeff Renner, Mountaineers Press)

Test plots of trees were used. The US experiment was Oak (48), Pine (33), Spruce (5), and Beech (1) during the 1 year period. The German experiment was Oak (56), Ash (20), Pine (4), and Beech (0), for their 1 year period.

The speculation was that sandy soil with deep taproot (like oak or ash) is more likely to attract lightning than trees with shallow, horizontal roots. Also tall trees in the open or near the border of woods.

Hmmmm, we have lots of very tall coast redwoods (doast redwoods hold the records for the tallest trees in the world), and a fairly large number have been struck by lightning, which lights the core on fire. The trees burn out internally, leaving nice, large hollows that are nice for camping and rain shelters, except for knowing that they tend to attract lightning strikes. Redwoods and the sequoia in the Sierra have shallow, widespread root systems (too many tourists wandering around the bases and gawking can kill the trees). I guess it's probably the extreme height of the trees that does it (200-300 feet is not uncommon, with the record currently close to the 700 foot level, plus frequently 50+ foot diameters).

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