Lightning Show Over Derry and Northwest Ireland
The skies above Derry were illuminated by an extraordinary lightning display on Thursday night.
Contrary to the saying that lightning never strikes twice, nearly 9,000 lightning bolts lit up the skies above the northwest, providing what many described as a "once-in-a-lifetime" spectacle.
This remarkable natural event lasted over an hour and was predominantly observed in Counties Londonderry and Donegal in the Republic of Ireland.
"One word: epic," said Derry-based photographer Patryk Sadowski.
"The whole neighbourhood came out to watch; people were applauding and shouting with delight... though I know not everyone likes thunderstorms. It was an incredible experience, straight out of a movie."
While thunderstorms are not uncommon in the region, the intensity and duration of this storm created significant attention.
Social media reports highlighted prolonged periods of lightning flashes stretching across the northwest, where the majority of the storm activity occurred.
NI spoke with several individuals who traveled to witness the event firsthand.
Ian McMichael traveled to Magilligan beach to observe the spectacular display.
"It was not as noisy as I expected it, definitely seemed more electrical," he said.
"Definitely a once in a lifetime. I absolutely put this up there with the big aurora in May - an amazing evening."
Unforgettable Experience
"Watching the lightning light up the sky in Castlerock was fascinating," said Joanne McMullan.
"The bright flashes and dramatic fork lightning created an unforgettable display, making the storm both powerful and beautiful to watch."
The impact of the storm was also felt in Castlederg, County Tyrone, which recorded the highest temperature in Northern Ireland just hours earlier at 30.8°C.
This temperature matches the 30.8°C recorded in County Fermanagh in 1976, marking a 50-year record.
The thunderstorm followed several days of scorching weather, with temperatures reaching into the 30s Celsius.
Though the storm had been anticipated, few expected such an extended and intense lightning display.
Many young people in their late teens, some of whom had never witnessed a "proper" thunderstorm, used their phones to capture the moment.
"What a light show - mother nature at her absolute finest," said Kevin Carlin.
"The whole sky, for about 50 minutes, was just flash, flash, flash."
He said the nearest comparable experience he had was at a lake in northern Italy.
"I've never seen the like of that before in Ireland - really, really impressive."
The Met Office and the Irish weather service, Met Éireann, had issued warnings following the intense heat on Thursday.
A warning for further thunderstorms remains in place across Northern Ireland and much of the Republic of Ireland on Friday.
