Multi-branch collapse on valley oaks in Gold Springs, 8 July 2018
At about 10:45 pm, 8 July 2018, we heard loud crackling sounds, followed by breaks, crackling and thuds. Heather and I went over, using spotlights, and found that a number of branches of large valley oaks had broken off. I took these photos the next morning. It appears that five large branches fell, from three different valley oaks. A dominoes effect must have occurred, with one very high branch taking down another, high branch on a different tree, and they took out everything beneath them.
Layered lenticular clouds over the Dardanelles
Layered lenticular clouds over the Dardanelles, on Summer Solstice, 20 June 2016.
Click to enlarge
Layered lenticular cloud formation over the Dardanelles. 20 June 2016. (Summer Solstice). Photo by Ilene Tassano.
Sunset on June 20, 2016, the summer solstice, as seen from Strawberry Peak, Tuolumne County. Photo by Ilene Tassano.
Valley Oak that lost a large branch 25 June 2015. Gold Springs, Columbia Ca.
This large valley oak lost a large branch at 10:45 pm, 25 June 2015, Gold Springs, Columbia Ca. We heard what sounded like gunshots, off and on for a couple of minutes, followed by what sounded like fireworks going off, before it became clear it was tree falling. There was no loud crash, however. Investigating the next morning, we found that a large branch of one of the giant valley oak trees had fallen, breaking a limb off an adjacent live oak, before ultimately landing in the crotch of the live oak, causing a big rift in its trunk. Click on an image to enlarge it.
Valley Oak lost a large lateral branch at 10:45 pm, 25 June 2015. Gold Springs, Columbia Ca.
A large branch from a giant Valley Oak tree broke off about 10:45 pm, 25 June 2015, in Gold Springs, Columbia Ca. It landed in an adjacent live oak tree, causing a big rip in the live oak.
In a dominoes fashion, the large lateral valley oak branch appears to have first landed on a branch of a live oak, which held it for a moment, then the supporting branch broke and the valley oak lateral crashed in the center of the live oak. Break occurred 10:45 pm, 25 June 2015. Gold Springs, Columbia Ca.
Close-up of split in interior live oak tree caused when the giant valley oak branch landed in it.
Close-up of the split live oak caused by the falling Valley Oak branch. branch fell at 10:45 pm, 25 June 2015. Gold Springs, Columbia Ca.
Valley Oak lost a large lateral branch at 10:45 pm, 25 June 2015. Gold Springs, Columbia Ca. The huge branch got caught in an adjacent live oak, causing the live oak to split.
Valley Oak lost a large lateral branch at 10:45 pm, 25 June 2015. Gold Springs, Columbia Ca. The branch got caught in an adjacent live oak.
Valley Oak lost a large lateral branch at 10:45 pm, 25 June 2015. Gold Springs, Columbia Ca. Close up of remaining stub.. The branch got caught in the crotch of an adjacent interior live oak.
Valley Oak lost a large lateral branch at 10:45 pm, 25 June 2015. Gold Springs, Columbia Ca. Close up of remaining stub.
Valley Oak lost a large lateral branch at 10:45 pm, 25 June 2015. Gold Springs, Columbia Ca. Close up of remaining stub.