Lightning 5 times stronger than average shreds weather radar in New Zealand
Lightning strikes occur more frequently in the summer, but strikes that occur in the winter are more powerful, according to New Zealand Geographic.
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HOKITIKA, New Zealand – A radar stationed on the west coast of New Zealand was shredded by a powerful lighting strike last week, putting the radar out of commission.
The incident occurred Thursday when the area near Hokitika, where the radar is located, was hit by a 156,000-amp bolt of lightning.
MetService New Zealand said the bolt was about five times more powerful than a typical bolt for the country, producing enough energy to power an average home for two years.
As the lightning struck, it not only produced a blinding flash and deafening thunder, but it also produced a shockwave strong enough to destroy the radome.
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The destroyed radar in New Zealand.
(MetService New Zealand)
The bolt also heated the surrounding air to be five times hotter than the surface of the Sun, causing the moisture in nearby structures to likely vaporize instantly and lead to explosive damage.
"Needless to say, this kind of strike can fry electronics and overwhelm even robust grounding systems, and our radar took the full hit," the agency said.
"The radar has sustained significant damage, and repairs will be complex," they added. "We now expect the radar to remain offline for an extended period."
The agency said that they are using other means of monitoring the weather, such as satellite imagery, nearby radar sites, weather stations and high-resolution computer models.
A view of the destroyed radar from the ground.
(MetService New Zealand / FOX Weather)
Lightning strikes occur more frequently in the summer, but strikes that occur in the winter are more powerful, according to New Zealand Geographic.
As the country reaches the end of winter, they may continue to see bolts of lightning averaging about 50% more powerful than those in the summer.