This is the moment lightning struck the CN Tower during Ontario storm
As thunderstorms and freezing rain pummeled much of southern Ontario Wednesday, a video captured in downtown Toronto shows the moment a bolt of lightning struck the tip of the CN Tower.
The storms began early Wednesday, with tornado watches issued in areas such as Chatham-Kent and Windsor, Ont., and freezing rain, rainfall, and thunderstorm watches issued from Toronto, north to Barrie, and east to Ottawa, Ont.
The storm then barrelled across Quebec and, at noon on Thursday, about a third of Quebecers were without power, officials said.
- Quebec storm: A third of customers should have power restored within 24 hours
- In pictures: Major snow, ice storm rips through five provinces
In Toronto, residents were quick to document the weather, sharing their videos on social media -- some even captured the moment a lightning bolt hit the iconic CN Tower.
The CN Tower is equipped for such incidents, according to its website.
“Don’t worry, this system has been put to the test—on average, the CN Tower is struck by lightning 75 times per year,” according to Canada Lands Company.
A conductive series of copper strips runs through the tower, allowing electrons from lightning to move through easily before feeding into “massive grounding rods,” it said.
“When lightning does strike the Tower, the electrical discharge runs through the wires and diffuses into the ground.”
Wednesday's storm should mark the end of treacherous weather for the city this week. According to Environment Canada, Toronto is forecast to see a mix of sun and cloud this weekend, with a few showers returning on Monday.
With files from Hannah Alberga.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6933137.1718822189!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
Canada to designate Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard a terrorist group
Canada will list Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), a branch of the Iranian Armed Forces, as a terrorist group.
Wife of Toronto gunman says two victims allegedly defrauded family of life savings
The wife of a gunman in a fatal Toronto shooting says he believed the two victims were behind an alleged mortgage investment scheme that defrauded their family.
Why some scientists think extreme heat could be the reason people keep disappearing in Greece
The bodies of those who died still need to be examined to establish the precise cause of death, but authorities are warning people not to underestimate the impacts of the searing temperatures.
Six-year-old boy struck and killed by school bus north of Toronto: police
York Regional Police say a six-year-old boy has died of his injuries after he was struck by a school bus in a residential neighbourhood in Vaughan on Wednesday morning.
Historic building in Italy damaged by parkour tourists
Jumping from building to building in an ancient city might seem like a dream for those who practice parkour — a sport that involves making it past obstacles — but it can cause damage to historic buildings.
Toronto, Montreal among the deadliest cities for Canadian heatwaves, federal research suggests
Toronto and Montreal rank among the deadliest cities for Canadian heat waves, according to a new longitudinal review by Statistics Canada.
'Swimming into the tide': Liberal MPs talk summer strategy as they prepare to hit the doors down in the polls
Preparing to head back to their ridings for the summer, Liberal MPs say that while it's 'not a happy time,' they're gearing up to hit the doorsteps to try to connect with Canadians directly in an effort to turn the tide for their party that's been persistently down in the polls.
Police look to identify 'nudist runner of the woods' caught on camera in western Quebec
The MRC des Collines-de-l'Outaouais police say the owner of a Val-des-Mont business discovered security camera footage of someone running naked across his property on June 8 around 1:30 a.m.
Oldest wine ever discovered in liquid form found in untouched Roman tomb
A 2,000-year-old funerary urn unearthed in southern Spain has been shown to contain the oldest wine ever found still in liquid form.