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Lightning Strikes Tree Behind Young Child During SoCal Thunderstorms

Lightning struck a tree behind a young child in Huntington Beach, California, on Tuesday, June 3, as the National Weather Service (NWS) https://x.com/NWSLosAngeles/status/1930001370222080099 warned of scattered thunderstorms moving across Southern California. Video footage shared by Tiffanie Buckner shows the moment an intense bolt of lightning hit a palm tree behind her six-year-old daughter, Penelope. Buckner told Storyful that she was heading inside with her kids as the storm was approaching but stopped to take a video of the lightning to share with her mother and husband. "It was different than the normal lightning we receive that just lights up the sky," she said. A few moments later, lightning struck a palm tree in her neighbor's yard, about 50 feet away. "The sound was so loud and immediate that it made us all jump and sent the kids in running," Buckner said. But Penelope wasn't fazed for too long. Buckner told Storyful that her daughter continued to watch the storm from their covered porch and eventually asked to go back outside as the rain started to pour. "Of course the answer was no," she said. "But kids were OK and loved the storm and have an amazing story to tell." (Footage by Tiffanie Buckner/Storyful via Getty Images UGC)
Lightning struck a tree behind a young child in Huntington Beach, California, on Tuesday, June 3, as the National Weather Service (NWS) https://x.com/NWSLosAngeles/status/1930001370222080099 warned of scattered thunderstorms moving across Southern California. Video footage shared by Tiffanie Buckner shows the moment an intense bolt of lightning hit a palm tree behind her six-year-old daughter, Penelope. Buckner told Storyful that she was heading inside with her kids as the storm was approaching but stopped to take a video of the lightning to share with her mother and husband. "It was different than the normal lightning we receive that just lights up the sky," she said. A few moments later, lightning struck a palm tree in her neighbor's yard, about 50 feet away. "The sound was so loud and immediate that it made us all jump and sent the kids in running," Buckner said. But Penelope wasn't fazed for too long. Buckner told Storyful that her daughter continued to watch the storm from their covered porch and eventually asked to go back outside as the rain started to pour. "Of course the answer was no," she said. "But kids were OK and loved the storm and have an amazing story to tell." (Footage by Tiffanie Buckner/Storyful via Getty Images UGC)
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Credit:
Editorial #:
2218928699
Collection:
Storyful
Date created:
June 05, 2025
Upload date:
License type:
Rights-ready
Release info:
Not released.ÌýMore information
Clip length:
00:00:08:22
Location:
Huntington Beach, California, United States
Mastered to:
MPEG-4 8-bit H.264 4K 3840x2160 24p
Source:
Storyful
Object name:
325150