Cape Coral got another reminder this week that Florida thunderstorms are not interested in subtlety.
During Sunday’s storm, lightning struck trees along Southwest Second Terrace, setting them on fire and sending smoke into the neighborhood. The Cape Coral Fire Department later confirmed lightning as the cause. No injuries or damaged homes were reported in the coverage.
Yes, it was raining.
Yes, the trees still caught fire.
Because Florida.
The Weather Apparently Had a Checklist
A normal thunderstorm might bring:
Rain.
Wind.
Thunder.
Maybe some street flooding.
Cape Coral weather apparently reviewed that list and decided it lacked ambition.
“What if we also set the landscaping on fire?”
Witness video showed a smoky scene along Southwest Second Terrace after the lightning strike ignited the trees. Firefighters responded, and Gulf Coast News reported that the fire department confirmed the strike as the cause.
Fortunately, there were no reported injuries and no homes were reported damaged.
So this one ended up being more spectacular than disastrous.
Which is generally the preferred category of crazy.
Wait — Aren’t Trees Wet During a Thunderstorm?
You would think so.
Unfortunately, lightning operates on a somewhat different level than your backyard garden hose.
A lightning strike can generate extraordinary heat almost instantaneously. When that energy travels through a tree, moisture inside the wood can rapidly turn to steam, bark can explode outward, and dry or combustible material can ignite.
Translation:
Rain: “I got this.”
Lightning: “No, you absolutely do not.”
And Southwest Florida certainly wasn’t lacking electrical activity. Recent Cape Coral storms have produced intense bursts of lightning; Gulf Coast News reported one recent 15-minute period with 108 lightning strikes over the city.
At that point, the sky isn’t really flashing anymore.
It’s just aggressively flickering.
Another Normal Day in Florida
This is one of those stories that probably sounds much stranger if you don’t live here.
Someone in another state:
“Lightning set the trees on fire while it was raining?”
Cape Coral resident:
“Yeah.”
“Is that unusual?”
“Depends what month it is.”
Florida weather has an impressive ability to produce conditions that seem mutually exclusive.
Sunshine while raining.
Flooding during drought season.
Ninety degrees before breakfast.
And now:
Trees burning during a thunderstorm.
It is difficult to surprise us anymore.
The Serious Part
Lightning is obviously no joke.
If thunder is close enough to hear, lightning is close enough to strike. Trees, open yards, canals and outdoor structures aren’t safe places to wait out a storm.
In this case, the most important part of the story is that nobody was reported hurt and no house was reported damaged.
The trees?
They apparently drew the short straw.
Cape Crazy Translation
Mother Nature:
“Cape Coral needs rain.”
Also Mother Nature:
“Let’s set something on fire.”
Cape Coral:
“Those seem like conflicting objectives.”
Mother Nature:
“I’m comfortable with my decision.”
Fire Department:
“Here we go again.”
IS THIS CRAZY OR NOT?
Lightning striking a tree isn’t unusual in Florida.
But lighting trees on fire in the middle of a rainstorm?
That deserves a Cape Crazy vote.
Tap an icon to vote.
Leave a Reply