WATCH: Possible lightning bolt causes spark, dirt explosion outside Florida home
Camera captures lightning strike near Florida home
The might of a lightning bolt all caught on a home security camera. You can see the flame spark right next to the tree. FOX 345 viewer David Houghton, of Ocoee, sent us this video. He' said it was the scariest and closest he's ever come to a lightning strike.
Lightning is no stranger to Florida. Earlier this week, a Florida homeowner's security camera appeared to capture a powerful lightning strike, causing a loud boom, and apparently sending dirt flying into the air.
David Houghton, who lives in Ocoee, Florida, shared the video with FOX 35. It happened Sunday afternoon as storms and showers were moving across Central Florida, according to the timestamp on the video.
"I've seen plenty of lightning strikes," he told FOX 35 via Zoom. "This is the worst I've ever seen."
"It was a huge boom. It shook the whole house. The dog was scared. The wife was scared," he said.
He said it wasn't until his wife and son went outside and noticed dirt and leaves were suddenly scattered across one of their vehicles and the ground.
They assumed it was a lightning strike. But, Houston's wife wanted to see if it picked up by their surveillance camera – and sure enough, it picked up something.
In the video, there is a loud boom followed by what initially appears to be an explosion of dirt and dust, which is sent feet into the air. FOX 35 went through frame by frame. In one frame, there appears to be a brief spark behind a tree in their yard.
FOX 35's Garrett Wymer spoke with Will Ulrich, warning coordination meteorologist, with the National Weather Service about the video.
He agreed it was likely a lightning bolt that struck a tree and traveled to the roots to cause that explosion. He said it also signifies the importance that there is no safe spot outside when lightning is around and that lightning can strike anywhere.