
Video shows lightning bolt striking New York's One World Trade Center
The electrifying video shows a forked lightning bolt hitting the Lower Manhattan skyscraper, illuminating the city skyline amid a severe thunderstorm.
The footage stunned people online, with one joking, on X, formerly Twitter, "I think someone may have birthed another Frankenstein!"
"Wow... New York powering up again!" another wrote.
Heavy rainfall prompted flash flood warnings in the Northeast and the Mid-Atlantic on Monday, July 15.
Videos shared on social media showed fast-moving floodwaters rushing through New York's Cross Bronx Expressway subway station, requiring passengers to lift up their feet to stay dry.
New Jersey flash flooding kills two
Flash flooding killed two people in New Jersey on Monday, where a brutal downpour prompted road closures, power outages and water rescues.
Both victims were swept away in the suburb of Plainfield, located about 30 miles outside New York City, according to Gov. Phil Murphy. Officials recovered their remains sometime overnight or early in the morning.
Murphy declared a state of emergency Monday for all 21 counties as the state grappled with six inches of rain in less than two-and-a-half hours.
"Last night we got crushed," Murphy told reporters Tuesday, July 15.
Contributing: Gabe Hauari, USA TODAY

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

USA Today
4 hours ago
- USA Today
Brace for more smoky skies as Canadian wildfires rage
A dire August forecast map shows "well above average" fire severity across a swath of Canada. Smoke from Canadian wildfires again plagued portions of the northern United States on Wednesday, July 16, prompting air quality alerts from Illinois to Maine. This includes portions of Michigan, where the National Weather Service said that due to the wildfire smoke, "it is recommended that, when possible, you stay indoors and keep time outdoors short and avoid strenuous activities." The smoke is coming from 81 uncontrolled active wildfires in Canada across several provinces, including British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan. Smoke to continue Smoke from western Canadian fires is forecast to continue to impact portions of the United States for the near future, forecasters said July 16, as fires are expected to persist: "We expect that there is a high potential for wildfires in the next three months," atmospheric scientist Djordje Romanic of McGill University told USA TODAY in an e-mail July 16. This includes a dire forecast map for August from the Canadian government, which shows that most of the four huge western Canadian provinces (British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba) all face "well above average" fire severity. AccuWeather meteorologist Paul Pastelok told USA TODAY that the wildfires are likely to continue well into October in Canada, so smoke will continue to be an issue in the United States into the fall. 'A pretty bad situation' While our northern neighbor's wildfire season hasn't been as bad as the record-shattering 2023 season, the province of Manitoba is enduring its worst year for wildfires in roughly three decades, according to the Manitoba government. The province remains under a state of emergency due to the fires. The weather forecast for the next couple of weeks in fire-plagued Manitoba shows little relief from the dry conditions that have plagued the western provinces since the late spring, Environment Canada meteorologist Crawford Luke told USA TODAY on July 16. "It's a pretty bad situation," he said. Although the number of fires in Canada is average for this time of year, the area burned to date is significantly more than the 10-year average, according to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre (CIFFC). And according to the Canadian government, "Canada is at National Preparedness Level 5, indicating that there is full commitment of national resources and demand for interagency resources through the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Center is extreme. Since national availability of resources is limited, international resources are being mobilized." What should I do when an air quality alert is issued? According to Michigan's Department of Health and Human Services, here are some indoor methods to protect yourself from the pollutants outside: Contributing: Sarah Moore, Lansing State Journal
Yahoo
15 hours ago
- Yahoo
Two people killed in flash flooding in New Jersey
PLAINFIELD, N.J. (PIX11) — Following flash flooding that swept through New Jersey on Monday, two people were found dead in Plainfield, according to the city's office of communications. The two victims were in their vehicle when it was swept up during the height of the storm, a post from the city's Facebook page announced. They were both pronounced dead at the scene, officials said. More Local News 'All of Plainfield grieved this latest loss,' said Mayor Adrian O. Mapp. 'We mourn with the families, and we remain committed to doing all we can to strengthen our emergency response systems and protect our residents from future harm.' A state of emergency was declared in New Jersey due to expected high levels of rainfall and flash flooding throughout the state, Governor Phil Murphy announced on Monday. More: Latest News from Around the Tri-State At least one to two inches of rain per hour drenched the garden state, according to the National Weather Service. Dominique Jack is a digital content producer from Brooklyn with more than five years of experience covering news. She joined PIX11 in 2024. More of her work can be found here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Is it safe to travel to New York after city hit by flash flooding?
Following severe flash flooding on the East Coast, transport infrastructure in New York has been hit with travel disruption. New York City and New Jersey declared a state of emergency after heavy rainfall soaked the Northeast coast, grounding flights and flooding the subway system on Monday night (14 July). Footage taken from onboard a subway carriage showed torrents of water rushing into the platform at 28th Street Station as New York swam in floodwater amid heavy rainfall. Two women died in Plainfield, New Jersey, on Monday after being swept off the road by flash flooding and becoming trapped in their car. New York is a popular city break destination for UK tourists, and travellers with trips booked may be questioning the safety of their holidays. Here's the latest travel advice for New York, plus all the key questions and answers. Read more: Flash flooding hits NYC and New Jersey declares state of emergency A flood warning was in effect for all five boroughs of New York City and New Jersey as New Yorkers filmed subway stations filling up with water on Monday. By Tuesday morning, the subway system was fully operational for commuters; however, some roads remained closed across both states. The Foreign Office (FCDO) has not issued specific travel advice regarding the recent floods in New York as of Wednesday afternoon. General flooding travel advice from the FCDO states: 'Floods can be caused by heavy rainfall or as the result of a tropical cyclone or tsunami. Heavy rainfall and flooding can cause devastation and loss of life. It can also severely impact transport infrastructure.' On Monday, a flash flood warning was issued for all five boroughs of New York City, and New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy declared a state of emergency due to flash flooding and 'high levels of rainfall' in parts of the state. New York City 311, a non-emergency government service, said in a post on X: 'Thunderstorms are producing heavy rain. Flash flooding is already happening or expected to begin shortly. 'Flooding can be deadly and often strikes with little or no warning. Streets, basements, and below-grade spaces can fill with water in minutes.' It advised those who live in basement apartments or low-lying areas to 'be ready to move to higher ground'. 'Keep your Go Bag near the door and clear exit paths. Avoid flooded areas. Never walk or drive into water. Turn around, don't drown,' added New York City 311 on Tuesday (15 July). As of Wednesday, the National Weather Service for New York said the worst of the rainfall has passed, but issued a heat advisory for the area. It said on X: 'Expected hot & humid conditions have led to a Heat Advisory across most of the area today. Highs will be in the mid 80s to low 90s. With high humidity, heat indices will range from 95 to 102.' Following grounded flights on Monday, airlines departing and arriving at East Coast airports appear to be operating as scheduled. At least six major aviation hubs – including JFK, LaGuardia, and Newark – grounded flights, causing significant delays and travel disruption on Monday. According to the Federal Aviation Administration, Philadelphia International, Baltimore-Washington International Airport, and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport also paused some operations during the severe weather conditions. As the Foreign Office has not warned against non-essential travel to New York, there will be no special circumstances in place to be able to cancel a trip for a full refund. The conditions for cancelling your trip will be dependent on your holiday provider, so it's best to contact them if you're looking to postpone. There is no obligation for companies to refund bookings if you wish to cancel, and you will not be able to claim travel insurance due to safety concerns unless the FCDO advice changes. Some travel insurance policies include natural disaster cover for an event that prevents you from reaching your holiday destination. Speak to your insurer to see where you stand.