New York – A stunning video shows a lightning bolt striking the Empire State Building during a storm passing through New York City.
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A frame of the video shared by journalist Henrik Moltke shows the bolt striking near the top of the skyscraper Monday.
Moltke says he saw the storm approaching from his office window and captured the strike by balancing his phone against the glass. He says he “was just lucky.”
Lightning strikes on the Empire State Building aren’t unusual. The building’s website says the structure serves as a lightning rod for the surrounding area and is hit by lightning 23 times a year on average.
Heavy rains and high winds knocked down trees and powerlines in the New York City area Monday evening.
There are 29,100 videos on YouTube of lightning bolts striking buildings.
This is nothing new nor unusual.
The Empire State Building frequently gets hit by lightning.