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  • Author Author: shabaz
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Possible Lightning Strike - Tree Leaf Post-Analysis

shabaz

The UK has been having really nice (hot) weather recently, although there was a brief rainstorm, and possibly lightning during periods over the last few days.

We have small pear and plum trees, about 15-20 feet high perhaps. Anyway, the leaves looked really strange today : (

I'm not sure, but I'm wondering if lightning caused it. There are large trees from neighbouring properties that are much taller, and close by. There was some scattering of strange leaves in them too, and generally in the same area, i.e. the entire trees do not seem to exhibit the effect, but it is localised. I can't see any burn marks on the ground, but I have not checked the grounds of the neighbouring trees.

Notice the browned leaves:

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More close up:

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The pears seem disaffected, but the leaves look toasted : (

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A plant at the foot of the tree:

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A neighbouring tree:

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Scattered clumps of browned leaves in a neighbouring tree:

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Closeup of the browned leaves in a neighbouring tree:

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Has anyone else experienced anything similar? Do the photos above look like lightning damage, or could something else have caused it?

I'd be interested to hear all thoughts.

  • in reply to mcb1

    I had not thought of that, you are probably right.

    I have seen some of my trees get brown leaves when things get too dry and hot.

     

    So it just might be thermal stress.

     

    DAB

  • in reply to mcb1

      wrote:

     

    ...

     

    As far as I know, lightning is looking fo a discharge path to ground (or is that from ground?) and leaves just aren't going to produce that.

     

     

    Cheers

    Mark

    for lower trees and shrubbery, leaves produce a path when they are wet from rain. That’s one of the reason they survive better. The lightning stays on the external surface.

  • My pick is sunstroke.image

    I understand the English weather has been unusually hot and they just aren't used to it.

     

    As far as I know, lightning is looking fo a discharge path to ground (or is that from ground?) and leaves just aren't going to produce that.

     

     

    I suspect you have Fire Blight.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qFGSZmzGv4

     

    Cheers

    Mark

  • in reply to shabaz

    Hi Shabaz,

     

    It was a positive  life changing experience. The things taken for granted in life have new meaning.

     

    The environment is not well. Humanity's dependence on hydrocarbon based energy does not help. Polar ice melts are rapidly cooling the currents in the Atlantic. Past manipulation of the ionosphere (HAARP) is another contributing factor.  The system is trying find equilibrium.

     

    Lightning strikes produce much of the ozone in our atmosphere. Our atmosphere can repair itself. The most powerful lightning strikes can cause a phenomenon called " Lightning Sprites ". There are some interesting videos on YouTube regarding this subject. It is one of the strangest, and mysterious phenomena in our atmosphere.

  • in reply to ninjatrent

    Hi Trent,

     

    Sorry to hear about this, that's frightening. I hope all is ok.

    That's interesting what you say about heat. This years weather has been extreme here, especially the past two weeks, (with govt warnings not to go outside due to the heat!) so it could well be causing more unusual effects to the trees/plants than experienced before.

    There is also very bad air quality - international standards are being exceeded in the UK currently in more than 30 towns/cities. Who knows what damage it is doing to plants/trees : (