Lightning strike blasts tree apart in Summit Park as severe storms continue

Left: Lightning struck a tree in Summit Park Thursday night, throwing debris and wood. Right: Lightning and a rainbow over Silver Creek Estates as a thunderstorm moves through. Photo: Courtesy of Nikki Bongaerts (left) and Rachel Jones

A family reported hearing an explosion as the bolt hit across the street from their home. More storms, and some striking skies, are expected Friday before a drier weekend

SUMMIT PARK, Utah — A lightning strike blew apart a tall conifer in Summit Park Thursday night, sending debris flying across the street toward a family’s home, as intense thunderstorms rolled through Summit County. The National Weather Service says more storms are on the way Friday.

The family told TownLift they heard what sounded like an explosion when the bolt hit the tree across the street from their house. The strike threw pieces of the tree all the way to their garage. No injuries were reported.

Reader photos show bark stripped from the trunk nearly top to bottom, with splintered wood scattered around the base and across the road.

Share your storm photos and videos. Send them to tips@townlift.com, and include where and when you took them. 

Lightning can heat the moisture inside a tree to steam almost instantly, and the pressure can blast bark and wood outward with enough force to cause injuries or property damage.

Forecasters expect the most widespread storms Friday afternoon as a cold front moves through northern Utah. Storms could turn severe, with wind gusts over 58 mph, hail larger than 1 inch and frequent lightning.

The weather service advises going indoors at the first sound of thunder, staying inside for 30 minutes after the last thunder and keeping away from tall trees during storms.

Park City’s forecast calls for a 90% chance of showers and thunderstorms Friday with a high near 69. Saturday brings a 50% chance of showers and a high near 64. Sunday looks dry and sunny with a high near 70, though moisture could return to Utah early next week.

The storms have also produced some striking scenes. TownLift reader Rachel Jones captured a lightning bolt and a rainbow side by side as a storm cell moved through at sunset.