July 5, 2025 | By Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies |
A new study has revealed that powerful thunderstorms not just drought and heat are a major cause of tree deaths in tropical rainforests. These storms, full of strong winds and lightning, may now account for 30% to 60% of all tree deaths in some areas, even more than drought.
As climate change increases the number of storms every decade, experts warn this could seriously affect forest health, reduce carbon storage, and disturb the planet’s climate balance.
“Tropical forests are like the lungs of the Earth,” said forest ecologist Evan Gora, who led the study. “But trees are dying faster than before, and storms are a big reason why.”
The research team studied past forest data and discovered that fast moving convective storms the kind that build quickly and come with lightning and fierce winds are just as harmful as dry spells and high temperatures.
Vanessa Rubio, another scientist in the team, described being inside the forest during a storm:
“The sky darkens, the wind gets strong, lightning strikes, and branches fall. It’s scary and powerful.”
Until now, many scientists focused on drought and heat as the main problems for rainforests. But this study, published in Ecology Letters, shows that ignoring storms gives an incomplete picture.
Gora explained that when they added storm effects into forest data, the usual link between heat and carbon loss didn’t hold up. This means storms may play an even bigger role than we thought.
The danger is even worse in areas like the southern Amazon, where forests face both dryness and frequent storms. These twin threats can cause even more damage together.
To protect rainforests and keep their carbon-storing power, scientists say it’s important to understand and prepare for how storms affect different tree species.
