00:01A bolt of lightning has turned the New York skyline into a dramatic spectacle,
00:06striking the spire of One World Trade Center as severe thunderstorms swept across the city on Friday evening.
00:14The striking image, captured by UPI photographer John Angelillo,
00:19shows a powerful lightning bolt hitting the tower against a backdrop of dark storm clouds over lower Manhattan.
00:26But behind the dramatic picture was a powerful weather system that brought much more than just spectacular lightning.
00:34Thunderstorms moved into New York City shortly after 6 p.m. Eastern Time, following a hot and humid day across
00:41the region.
00:42The National Weather Service had warned of a slight risk of severe thunderstorms,
00:48with the potential for damaging winds reaching up to 60 to 70 miles per hour,
00:53isolated flash flooding and even penny-sized hail.
00:57And then the storms arrived.
01:00Heavy rain pushed rainfall totals to roughly 1 to 1.5 inches in many areas,
01:06while radar estimates showed some locations receiving between 1.5 and nearly 3 inches.
01:13In the heaviest areas, rain was falling at rates of up to 1 to 2 inches per hour.
01:19That led to flash flood warnings continuing into the evening.
01:24The impact was felt across the city and beyond.
01:28Airports, including LaGuardia, JFK and Newark,
01:32faced massive flight delays and cancellations as thunderstorms disrupted air travel.
01:38High winds also prompted temporary restrictions for certain trucks on bridges.
01:42Across parts of Queens and Brooklyn, there were reports of downed trees, downed wires and property damage.
01:50Residents were also warned to stay away from flooded incidents.
01:54But one image quickly became the defining visual of the storm.
02:00Lightning appeared to strike the spire of One World Trade Center, producing a spectacular moment above the Manhattan skyline.
02:07While the image may look extraordinary, lightning strikes on the tower are not unusual during strong thunderstorms.
02:15One World Trade Center is one of the highest points in New York City, making its tall spire a natural
02:21target for lightning during powerful storms.
02:24And importantly, there have been no widely reported reports of major structural damage to the building itself from this strike.
02:32The tower is specifically designed to withstand lightning and other severe weather conditions.
02:38As the storm moved across the city, videos and photographs of the lightning and dark clouds spread rapidly across social
02:46media and local platforms.
02:49The storm was also part of a broader weather pattern affecting the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast,
02:55where hot and humid conditions were fueling afternoon and evening thunderstorms.
02:59So, while the lightning strike on One World Trade Center created a spectacular image, the bigger story was the severity
03:07of the weather system moving through New York.
03:10Heavy rain, damaging winds, flash flood risks, flight disruptions and powerful lightning across the skyline.
03:18For millions across the region, Friday Night Storm was a reminder that after a hot and humid day, severe weather
03:26can arrive quickly and transform the city.
03:28And in New York, few places make that transformation more striking than the Manhattan skyline.
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