Lightning is one of nature’s most powerful and unpredictable forces. It can strike out of nowhere, create strange phenomena, and even leave behind eerie evidence of its power. While we usually associate lightning with thunderstorms, history has recorded some truly bizarre lightning-related events that defy expectations.
From lightning that lasted for hours to bolts that left footprints behind, these are 15 times lightning did something absolutely bizarre.
1. The Never-Ending Lightning Storm Over Venezuela
Lake Maracaibo in Venezuela is home to the Catatumbo Lightning, a storm that produces lightning nearly every night of the year. This bizarre weather event can create over 1.2 million lightning strikes annually and lasts for up to 10 hours a night.
The reason for this never-ending lightning? Scientists believe the combination of warm lake waters, cold mountain air, and unique wind patterns creates the perfect storm conditions. The result is a jaw-dropping, nonstop electrical show.
2. A Man Survived Seven Lightning Strikes
Roy Sullivan, a U.S. park ranger, holds the world record for surviving the most lightning strikes—seven separate times. Between 1942 and 1977, Sullivan was struck multiple times while on duty in Shenandoah National Park.
Miraculously, he survived each strike, though he suffered burns, lost his toenails, and even had his hair set on fire. He later earned the nickname “The Human Lightning Rod.”
3. A Bolt That Traveled 477 Miles
In 2020, the longest lightning bolt ever recorded struck across 477 miles (768 km) of the U.S. from Texas to Mississippi. This “megaflash” shattered previous records, proving that lightning can travel much farther than we once thought.
Scientists using satellite technology captured the massive bolt, demonstrating that lightning isn’t always confined to a single storm system—it can stretch across entire states.
4. The Man Whose Shoes Exploded
In 2018, a man in Florida was struck by lightning while walking in a parking lot. Instead of severe burns, the bolt exploded his shoes off his feet!
Miraculously, the man survived with only minor injuries. Experts believe the rubber soles of his shoes may have helped redirect some of the electrical current, saving his life.
5. The Night of a Thousand Strikes in France
On May 28, 2018, France experienced over 209,000 lightning strikes in a single night—the most ever recorded in the country’s history. Entire towns were lit up as storm clouds rolled through, creating an electrified sky that looked more like a war zone than a natural weather event.
Scientists were stunned by the sheer number of strikes, which were 10 times the monthly average for France.
6. The “Upward Lightning” Phenomenon
Lightning doesn’t always strike down—sometimes, it strikes up. This rare phenomenon occurs when a tall structure, like a skyscraper or radio tower, discharges electricity into the atmosphere before a storm cloud does.
Upward lightning has been caught on camera in cities like Chicago and São Paulo, creating eerie, science-fiction-like visuals.
7. The Bolt That Struck 300 Reindeer at Once
In 2016, an unbelievable lightning strike killed 323 reindeer in Norway. The herd was standing closely together during a thunderstorm when a single bolt of lightning discharged through the wet ground, electrocuting them instantly.
Experts believe the reindeer’s proximity and the moist conditions amplified the deadly impact, making this one of the strangest mass lightning fatalities ever recorded.
8. The Woman Who Got a Leaf-Shaped Lightning Scar
Some lightning strike survivors are left with Lichtenberg figures, intricate, tree-like scars that appear on the skin after a strike. These bizarre scars are caused by the electrical current spreading through tiny blood vessels.
One of the most famous cases happened in 2015 when a woman in Scotland was struck by lightning and woke up with an eerie leaf-shaped mark covering her shoulder and arm.
9. The Fireball Lightning That Entered a House
In 2014, a mysterious “fireball lightning” event was reported in China, where a glowing sphere of light entered a home through a window. The strange orb floated around before exploding, leaving the occupants stunned but unharmed.
Fireball lightning is one of the most mysterious types of lightning, often described as floating orbs of light that can move through buildings before vanishing. Scientists still don’t fully understand how it works.
10. The World’s Longest-Lasting Lightning Strike
In 2020, researchers recorded the longest-lasting lightning bolt ever—a single flash that lasted 17.1 seconds over Argentina and Uruguay.
Normally, lightning lasts only fractions of a second, but this megaflash spread across the sky, lingering long enough to be caught on multiple cameras.
11. The Plane That Got Hit by Lightning Twice
A KLM flight in 2019 was struck by two separate lightning bolts just minutes apart. Fortunately, modern aircraft are designed to withstand lightning, and the passengers onboard landed safely.
While rare, planes are actually struck by lightning more often than you’d think—about once per year, on average!
12. When a Lightning Bolt Made a Sand Sculpture
When lightning strikes sandy beaches, it can fuse the silica into fulgurites, which are natural glass sculptures formed by the extreme heat of the strike. Some fulgurites have been found stretching several feet underground, looking like frozen lightning.
13. A Soccer Game Interrupted by Lightning
In 1998, a lightning bolt struck the middle of a soccer field in the Democratic Republic of Congo, instantly killing 11 players on one team—but leaving the opposing team completely unharmed.
Some believed this freak event was supernatural, while scientists suggest metal cleats and wet conditions may have played a role in the selective strike.
Read More: Never Do These 10 Things During a Thunderstorm
14. A Fisherman Struck While Holding a Metal Fishing Rod
In 2016, a fisherman in Colombia was struck by lightning while casting his line. His metal fishing rod acted as a conductor, drawing the lightning straight to him. Miraculously, he survived after being thrown several feet into the air.
Read More: Ranking the 15 Most Dangerous Severe Weather Cities in the U.S.
15. When Lightning Hit the Same Place 11 Times
The Empire State Building is struck by lightning about 25 times per year, but in 2011, it was hit 11 times in just one thunderstorm.
Because it’s such a tall structure, the building acts as a natural lightning rod, attracting bolts and safely dispersing the energy.
Read More: 15 Smartest Ways to Prepare for a Hurricane Before It Hits
