Resource Number: 15861
Title: Assessing Tree Risks Of Lightning Strikes
Description: Storm clouds with the right internal conditions can generate large numbers of electric charges separated by miles of air. The ground surface mirrors the opposite charge of the cloud base with a rolling wave following below the rapidly moving storm cloud. When and where cloud leaders and ground streamers connect is impossible to precisely predict. The strength of ground streamers (ground field enhancement) can be estimated based upon different objects or neighborhoods on the ground. Risk assessments are concentrated on ground streamer strength while leader / streamer connectivity is highly variable depending upon each storm. Ground streamer strength (field enhancement) is based upon many factors which can be increased to a point where any cloud leaders in the area (i.e. within 5 to 6 times tree height above a tree) will interconnect and exchange charges.
Last Updated: August 16, 2022
Contributors:
Domain(s)/Area(S):
- Arboriculture
- Natural Resources
Locations:
| Subject |
|---|
| lightning |