Can lightning, thunder, or freezing temp. break tempered glass?

Question

the point of break on our window seems to be at the very top corner and there isnt an obvious spot it is just where all the lines seem to originate from

the window:

http://img233.imageshack.us/img233/8451/p4260002qy9.jpg

(pretty blurry and the breaking point is not on the side it is in the upper left corner)

close-up:

http://img233.imageshack.us/img233/2151/p4260003np5.jpg

Answer 1

yes..

Answer 2

If there is a break in the glass and it hasn't shattered into lots of little almost round pieces it isn't tempered glass.

Follow up: No it doesn't look like tempered glass breakage. It looks like laminated glass breakage. If it were tempered it would break into lots of almost round pieces.

Think side window on a car. That's TEMPERED glass.

Answer 3

Well, it certainly looks like tempered glass breakage and you will not be able to see a radiating pattern other than the slight possibility that the pieces are smaller near the starting point.   If the glass was under tension from mounting, the thunder or movement of the house would be the "straw that broke the camel's back" and one crack would result in the whole window going.  If there was something behind the corner (a chip of wood, a nail) when the window was installed, it would not take much extra to break it.

Answer 4

Yes.

Anything that causes a vibration could cause the window frame to flex and crack the glass.