A cracking tree

[sime42]

Anyone ever seen anything like this before? I've not. How or why could it have happened, splitting all the way up the trunk like that?

 

Photos sent to me earlier by my brother. One of their neighbour's trees. He thought wind damage. I can't think what else it could be, no scorch marks in case it was lightning.

 

 

 

This is the bit that's dropped out the middle apparently.

 

[Steve Bullman]

Almost like an upright hazard beam. What’s the top of the tree like, straight?

[sime42]

Good call.

No idea about the top of the tree, I'll try to get some more photos tomorrow.

 

[nepia]

The tree's dead isn't it?  That lump I'd guess has been popped out under wind stress