Dramatic moment lightning strikes behind Statue of Liberty as New York City is hit by a thunderstorm
- An intense lightning rod was filmed blasting an area behind the Statue of Liberty
- The 21-second clip was filmed from a dock on Ellis Island looking over the city
- National Weather Service issued a severe weather threat between 5pm and 9pm
Purple lightning has been captured striking an area directly behind the Statue of Liberty as New York City was hit by a dramatic thunderstorm.
The intense lightning rod was filmed from a dock on Ellis Island after the storm rolled over the city on Wednesday afternoon.
In the 21-second clip, which was posted to Twitter, the lightning blasted down behind the Statue of Liberty and lit up the surrounding city.
The National Weather Service issued a severe weather threat between 5pm and 9pm last night.
The intense lightning rod was filmed from a dock on Ellis Island after the storm rolled over the city on Wednesday afternoon
Meteorologists warned there could be weak tornadoes and flooding in the city. The heavy rain eventually stopped just after 10pm.
Two people were struck by lightning in South Ozone Park, Queens, according to CBS. They are in hospital but their conditions are unknown.
Lightning also struck a church steeple and sparked a fire nearby.
By 11pm on Wednesday, more than 5,000 Cod Edison customers suffered a power outage because of the storm.
It comes after forks of electricity blasted the water in front of the lower Manhattan skyline earlier this month.
It comes after forks of electricity blasted the water in front of the lower Manhattan skyline during a storm above New York City on Monday, July 6
An extraordinary photograph was taken from Jersey City on July 7, as lightning struck above the 1791ft-high One World Trade Center in New York City.
People who lived in New Jersey compared the storm to a tornado, as it brought hail and flash flooding.
In Morristown, golf ball-sized hail fell for 30 minutes and smashed cars.