WATCH: Lightning Illuminates NYC Sky As Bolt Strikes One World Trade Center

On Saturday night, thunderstorms hit New York City, and One World Trade Center, the tallest building in the United States, was struck by lightning as New Yorkers captured the spectacular moment. According to Accuweather, One World Trade Center was hit by lightning 189 times between 2015 and 2020, making it the second-most-struck building in the U.S., after the Willis Tower in Chicago.

Alan Reiss, Director of WTC construction, explained that the tower’s height provides protection for the surrounding area. The tower’s state-of-the-art protection system, based on lightning rod technology, is designed to protect the 1,776-foot tall building, with lightning rods mounted on the rooftops of buildings, including 4 World Trade Center.

The weekend before, dozens of deadly tornadoes and powerful storms swept through the Midwest and South. Late Friday and early Saturday, nearly two dozen tornadoes were reported in Illinois, Iowa, Tennessee, Wisconsin, and Mississippi, leading to at least five deaths and dozens of injuries.

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