As wild weather lashes the South Island today, nature has displayed her power with a terrifying display atop a popular skifield. The moment was captured by a webcam at Lake Ōhau Snow Fields, showing the moment that lightning struck one of the chair lifts. The eerie photo shows the lightning strike the metal chair lift, which was fortunately unoccupied after the skifield was closed due to the weather. The wild weather brought strong winds that battered parts of the South, bringing down trees and prompting warnings for motorists. The strong northwesterlies precede a cold front which hit the South Island from the Tasman Sea last night, and is now moving northeast across the South Island today.

Source: Otago Daily Times September 25, 2021 01:30 UTC