Watch: Intense lightning bolt strikes Oklahoma police vehicle
Powerful storms raced across the central U.S. on Monday, including Oklahoma. These thunderstorms produced vivid cloud-to-ground lightning, strong wind gusts and even tornadoes.
Oklahoma police vehicle damaged by lightning strike
A police vehicle in Newcastle, Oklahoma, was struck by lightning as powerful storms moved over the area on Monday, May 19. FOX Weather Meteorologists Marissa Torres and Stephen Morgan have the latest.
NEWCASTLE, Okla. – A police vehicle in Oklahoma was damaged after it was struck by lightning Monday, and the moment was caught on video.
"Just minutes ago, lightning struck a Newcastle police car during the storms," Newcastle Emergency Management said in a Facebook post. "No one was hurt, but that could have been anyone."
Watch: Lightning strikes Oklahoma police vehicle
A dramatic video shared by Newcastle Emergency Management shows the moment a bolt of lightning struck a police vehicle on Monday, May 19, 2025.
Powerful storms raced across the central U.S. on Monday, including Oklahoma. These thunderstorms produced vivid cloud-to-ground lightning, strong wind gusts and even tornadoes.
"(The video) is a scary reminder of the dangers of lightning," FOX Weather Meteorologist Marissa Torres said. "Who knows where it’s going to strike?"
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This animated image shows a bolt of lightning striking a police vehicle in Newcastle, Oklahoma, on Monday, May 19, 2025.
(Newcastle Emergency Management/Facebook / FOX Weather)
Cars, however, are a safe place to be when lightning is flashing around you during severe weather because the vehicle is grounded.
"The physical phenomenon, it’s called the Faraday cage," FOX Weather Meteorologist Stephen Morgan said.
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Watch: Timelapse video shows severe thunderstorm producing vivid lightning above Oklahoma town
FILE VIDEO - A dramatic timelapse video recorded in Snyder, Oklahoma, shows a powerful thunderstorm producing vivid lightning as the storm swept across the area on Monday, April 28, 2025.
According to the National Weather Service, about 20 lightning fatalities occur each year on average. Last month, a North Carolina corrections officer died after being struck by lightning. He was the first known lightning fatality in the U.S. this year.
To help Americans remain aware of the dangers of lightning, the agency developed the slogans: "When thunder roars, go indoors" and "See a flash, dash inside."