A powerful lightning storm lit up the skies over parts of San Diego County late Thursday, as the National Weather Service (NWS) issued a severe thunderstorm warning. Videos circulating on social media showed repeated lightning flashes illuminating the night sky.
According to NWS, Doppler radar detected a strong thunderstorm at 10:36 pm PDT (1:36 am ET) near Interstate 8 between Boulevard and the Imperial County line. The storm was moving west at around 20 mph.
A 43-minute uncut video shot from Shelter Island shows the sky lighting up in intervals.
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The NWS warned that the strongest storms could produce marble-sized hail measuring up to 0.5 inches and wind gusts reaching 50 mph. The weather service has urged residents outdoors to seek shelter inside sturdy buildings until the storms passed.
{{/usCountry}}The NWS warned that the strongest storms could produce marble-sized hail measuring up to 0.5 inches and wind gusts reaching 50 mph. The weather service has urged residents outdoors to seek shelter inside sturdy buildings until the storms passed.
{{/usCountry}}A user on Facebook shared a video of the sky lighting up from the balcony and wrote, “We rarely get lightning or even humidity here, so this is kinda cool to watch from a distance and nice to watch from the lanai! This slow-moving high-pressure system is bringing in some isolated thunderstorms.”
The alert remained in effect until 11:15 pm PDT (2:15 am ET) on Thursday.
NWS warned of hail, gusty winds and dangerous lightning
Meteorologists warned that gusty winds could bring down tree limbs and blow unsecured outdoor objects. Minor damage to vegetation from hail was also possible.
The warning covered several communities across eastern San Diego County, including Boulevard, Campo, Jacumba, Live Oak Springs, Tierra del Sol, southern Mount Laguna, and parts of the La Posta, Campo and Manzanita Indian Reservations. Portions of Highway S2 and Interstate 8 were also included in the advisory
Videos shared on X, Instagram and other social media platforms captured frequent lightning strikes across the region. Some clips showed multiple bolts illuminating mountain ridges and desert landscapes.
The video below shows continuous lightning strikes captured from Imperial Valley towards the west. The video shows the intense storm on the San Diego County Mts.
Some users reported booming thunder. One user on X wrote, “hey dows any body know who summoned the lightning demon to east county san diego . i am afraid.”
Meteorologist Chris Nunley reported that storms were developing over the Southern California Mountains on Thursday afternoon. The expert shared a picture of the radar that showed developing storms at 2:35 pm (5:35 ET).
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Safety guidelines for lightning hazard
Fresno Bee provided some tips on how to prevent lightning hazards. The outlet urges residents to find an indoor shelter if they see signs of skies turn gloomy and thunder is heard.
Experts advise avoiding touching windows, doors, electrical equipment, corded phones, and plumbing when inside. It is also advisable to wait at least 30 minutes after the latest lightning before going out in the open.
Steer clear of open fields, hill peaks, and ridge tops after the lightning strikes if it is difficult to find an inside shelter. Stay away from tall, isolated trees and other towering buildings. Stay close to shorter tree groups when you're in a forest.
If you are camping in an open area, pick a low spot, valley, or ravine, as it is not safe to remain inside your tents. Keep a safe distance from metal objects, damp things, and water. Water and metals may not attract lightning, but they are good conductors of electricity.