Re: Don\'t stand under a tree in a thunderstorm
When the lightning hits the tree, it vaporizes the sap,causing the explosion. I hear of several cases a year when lighting hit a tree with cows or horses under, killing some or all.
The funny thing about lightning; in the wild it's the proverbial 800lb gorilla, but there are sighs. There is usuallly a step-leader coming out of the object on the ground, trying to connect with the bolt coming from the thunderstorm. Its the increased charge from this step-leader that one feels if one is way two close where lightning is going to hit. And when they do, we know the result.
Steve