Lightning

[hickman]

While camping in the forest I came upon a tree that had been struck by lightning. The tree was about 120 feet tall and the lightning blew a chunk of wood about 2" wide and 1" deep all the way down the trunk to the base, However it spiraled in a counter clockwise direction from top to bottom comming a complete 360 degrees in about 100 feet. Curious I looked for other trees in the 2 weeks that I was there. I found five All spiraled counterclockwise. Anyone have an explanation?

 

[hurk27]

Re: Lightning

Hickman
one of my studies when I was at Mid Florida Tech was lightning and its effects. I have heard of this before but the only thing I can remember is it has something to do with how the water travels up a tree and that the lightning will follow this water trail back down this water path. I'm not sure but I think the spiral effect is the same one that causes storms to rotate in the same direction north of the equator. and water does the same-thing when going down a drain.