Netizens react hilariously as lightning strikes the U.S. Capitol on New Year’s Eve

On December 31, 2024, the clocks were counting down the last few seconds of the year, and the skies were planning something different over Washington, D.C. In a breathtaking moment, lightning hit the U.S. Capitol and then the Washington Monument. The two most famous symbols were almost hit at the same time during heavy thunderstorms.

If 2024 was trying to exit with a bang, it certainly accomplished that. The storm's dramatic flair had the world buzzing on social media and had commentators speculating fairly heavily — some even calling this a portent of something larger soon to happen.

As you can imagine, X (formerly known as Twitter) wasted no time in reacting: "Don't tell me this is how we're starting 2025," was one of the comments that encapsulated an entire eye-roll by Internet dwellers who've maybe seen everything — but never quite like this.

And in came the takes. Some saw the strikes as direct signs of political unrest, especially as Donald Trump is scheduled to be inaugurated for a second time just a few weeks later.

Was it an omen leading up to something dire on the political scene? Well, it sure got people talking.

A user said: "this AND the cybertruck exploding in front of a trump building??? maybe there really is a god out there omg."

Another user said: "God up there cooking up some foreshadowing."

A user humorously mentioned: "Welp, 2025 really said "new year, same chaos"."

"That's a portal opening", a user stated.

A user went on to react with a Batman GIF:

"Teslas exploding outside. Lightning strikes by the US Capitol. I’m putting the pieces together", a post read.

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A stormy New Year’s Eve

The National Weather Service had already dropped some prominent storm warnings for D.C., forecasting intense gusts and heavy rain. So, while many were getting their New Year’s Eve party going, thunder clapped, and lightning cracked overhead.

The first strike hit the Capitol just before or possibly in sync with a bolt that lit up the Washington Monument. It was a weather spectacle, but to some, it felt like a sign.

Even Utah Senator Mike Lee got in on the action, sharing footage of the strikes and raising an eyebrow.

“Feels like an omen. What’s it telling us?”

As the moment went viral, some Trump supporters joined in, reading divine significance into the event.

Christian Ziegler, a prominent advocate for the former president, didn’t mince words:

“God is sending us a message,” he declared.

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Understanding lightning: A natural phenomenon, not an omen

Before we start reading too much into every thunderclap, let’s remember that lightning isn’t some mystical messenger. It’s just science.

A lightning strike occurs when storm clouds become charged with negative and positive electrical charges. The discharge occurs when it becomes too intense, and that bolt zaps at up to two hundred million miles per hour and carries up to one billion volts of electricity.

D.C.'s iconic landmarks are prime targets for this kind of electrical show. Both the Capitol and the Washington Monument are tall, visible structures — perfect lightning magnets. That is why both got lightning rods installed to take the electrical energy safely into the ground.

This is how it happens: Storm clouds will build up a negative charge at the bottom and a positive charge on the ground. A “stepped leader” (a series of negative charges) descends, and when it connects with something positive — like, say, the Washington Monument — bam, you get a flash of lightning.

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Why does lightning strike major landmarks?

This wasn’t some once-in-a-lifetime event. Lightning hitting major landmarks is common. The Empire State Building gets struck about 20 times a year, and the Capitol has had lightning protection since its early days. Tall, prominent structures like these are lightning targets because of their height and location.

Yet the timing and political atmosphere combined with the sheer drama of the moment made this lightning strike feel particularly significant.

Some took it as a portent of what was coming, while others felt that 2025 may prove its own storm. Either way, when lightning strikes in the heart of D.C., it will spark a conversation.