Wind shake?

[highup]

Any idea what caused this? Looks like this tree was in an area too protected to be caused by wind. Can lightening do this? This was a long time ago, and didn't take other photos, but I recall even back then, there seemed to be no obvious visible explanation. Looked like the tree just exploded.

 

[Dan]

NOT windshake. Looks like damage I've seen from lightening.

Windshake is a separation between the annual growth rings.

 

[highup]

The title was my attempt at humor, but I forgot the Thanks for the photo, because I forgot exactly what it was. Have you ever dated a tree back to a major storm by counting the growth rings? ....like a major storm that winter and how high the winds got.

I was on top of one of the highest points in the northern most Siskiyou's east of Gold Beach one fall day. I was walking in a thicket of tall skinny fir trees beside a clearing. I noticed a 20+ foot long strip of bark laying flat out on the ground. It was like someone just took a huge draw knife, peeled the bark and layed it neatly on the ground. Had to be lightning, but the first time I had seen something like that.

 

[Floorist]

Saw a tree once that had been at the center of a microburst. It was split down the middle and parts fell all four directions.