Author Topic: Tornado trees (Read 650 times)

Larry · « **on:** December 06, 2019, 08:42:22 PM »

We had a tornado and wind storm close to Rogers Arkansas a few weeks ago. The ground was already saturated with water. The storm took down 1,000's of trees but seemed to favor trees 30" dbh and bigger.

One guy had 129 down that they had just finished working up into logs. This one is close to a 30" dbh white oak. He figured it took a direct hit from the tornado. The twister didn't take it down but left it in a perfect rainbow shape.

I told him this one might require a special technique to saw........

LeeB · « **Reply #1 on:** December 06, 2019, 08:48:12 PM »

Pre-split firewood.

SawyerTed · « **Reply #2 on:** December 06, 2019, 09:04:18 PM »

Pre split firewood is exactly what I thought. I spent several weeks post hurricane Hugo dealing with trees like that on our farm.

thecfarm · « **Reply #3 on:** December 06, 2019, 09:18:24 PM »

So that's why it's called a twister.

Nebraska · « **Reply #4 on:** December 06, 2019, 10:54:03 PM »

That's amazing.

beav · « **Reply #5 on:** December 06, 2019, 11:03:38 PM »

So do you suppose the tree grew with that much spiral or did the twister split then twist it?
I think it grew that way

Southside · « **Reply #6 on:** December 07, 2019, 12:17:28 AM »

It's already cut into QS pieces, I can see some nice vertical grain in there, not sure how it would dry though, hard to tell if the stress is out of the wood or wound into the wood as a result.

Jeff · « **Reply #7 on:** December 07, 2019, 07:20:34 AM »

Wow. It's kind of awesome looking. I see Tornado cookie tables with glass tops. Secure with resin and slice.

Nebraska · « **Reply #8 on:** December 07, 2019, 07:26:46 AM »

If one could separate that twisted wood out and work it down, I think it would make a neat hand rail or walking stick, definitely some sort of conversation piece.

Ben Cut-wright · « **Reply #9 on:** December 07, 2019, 08:02:09 AM »

Quote from: beav on December 06, 2019, 11:03:38 PM

So do you suppose the tree grew with that much spiral or did the twister split then twist it?
I think it grew that way

Grew that way, split from the stress of wind and falling. Trees with spiral growth make lumber as poor as those with shake. Easy to get a chainsaw bar hung up when bucking such a mess.

There were two tornadoes in the recent storm. The first was on the ground for about 9 miles and caused a path of damage about 900 yards wide. The second tornado touched down approximately where the first one lifted off. There was a short bit of overlap but a distinct change in direction of travel. The length of the path was 31.4 miles and it was 1.5 miles at its widest point, thirty minutes of destruction.

One unusual feature of this storm was the numerous and powerful downdrafts. Trees with long limbs and wide canopies had limbs blasted off during these downdrafts. The sound of these downdraft blasts was.....scary, especially when large limbs were broken along with the blast noise. Something like the crack-boom of a black powder firearm, expect the sequence was reversed, IE: boom-crack.

The only death was reportedly caused by such winds.

WV Sawmiller · « **Reply #10 on:** December 07, 2019, 08:35:08 AM »

I saw the same thing with Hurricane Hugo as Ted did when I went down to Charleston SC to help clean up. Parts of the Francis Marion National forest seemed to have been twisted off about 15' high. I tried sawing a 42" White Oak fork here that Sandy took down and was lucky if I got 100 bf out of an 8' log. I had to split it with my chainsaw to get it to fit on the mill then nearly tore up my ATV dragging it to the mill site. The juice weren't worth the squeeze.

If the trees are just uprooted they should be fine but when twisted and broken like this not much account. Thanks for the pix.

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