What started out as a normal Thursday afternoon in New York quickly turned into a weather nightmare.

Skies that had been calm just moments earlier suddenly erupted with roaring thunder and bolts of lightning, catching residents completely off-guard.

And for one teenage boy in Central Park, the shift in weather nearly turned deadly.

Unexpected Lightning Strike Hits Teen Hiding Under Tree

Around 3:40 p.m., as rain poured down near 101st Street and Fifth Avenue in Central Park, a teenage boy sought shelter under a tall tree.

But just as he tried to avoid the storm, lightning struck the very spot.

The bolt reportedly hit the tree and transferred its electric charge through a metal chain the teen was wearing around his neck—causing burns and knocking him to the ground.

First Responders Find Teen Conscious and Breathing

According to emergency responders, the teen was still conscious when they arrived.

“We found him sitting on the path right there,” a police officer told The Daily News.

“He’s lucky to be alive.”

The boy was immediately transported to NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center.

As of the latest update, he remains in stable condition, and his identity has not been released.

Eyewitness Describes Emotional Scene as Teen Collapses

Seventeen-year-old Crystal Mateo had been walking nearby when the lightning struck.

She saw the boy collapse and was visibly shaken by the terrifying moment.

“It was scary,” she told The New York Times.

“I was crying.” She described a large elm tree near the scene, about 75 feet tall, surrounded by scattered snacks and belongings—evidence of a picnic that was suddenly interrupted by chaos.

Area Sealed Off As Storm Continues

Following the lightning strike, police quickly cordoned off the area with yellow tape while the storm continued to rage.

Torrential rain fell as emergency crews responded to the scene and parkgoers watched from a distance.

Within a couple of hours—by 5:15 p.m.—the storm had completely passed and the sun had returned, once again drawing people into the park.

National Weather Service Issues Sudden Storm Warning

The storm’s rapid build-up prompted the National Weather Service to issue a severe thunderstorm warning for the city.

Though lightning strikes in urban areas like New York City are relatively rare, experts caution that they are still a major hazard—especially during pop-up storms like this one.

Neighbors React with Shock at Rare Lightning Incident

Locals near the scene expressed disbelief that something like this could happen in such a well-trafficked part of the park.

“I’ve never heard of that happening in the city, especially in the park like that,” said Upper East Side resident Robert LePlae.

Lightning Remains a Deadly Threat Despite Low Odds

Though the odds of being struck by lightning in a given year are less than one in a million, the danger is real.

Around 90% of people struck by lightning survive, but it still ranks among the top causes of weather-related deaths in the U.S.

From 2009 to 2018, an average of 27 Americans died each year due to lightning, according to the National Weather Service.

A Stark Reminder of Past Tragedies

This isn’t the first time New York has experienced a lightning-related tragedy.

Back in 2021, a 13-year-old boy lost his life after being struck at Orchard Beach in the Bronx.

Incidents like these underscore how unpredictable and dangerous storms can be—especially for those outdoors with little shelter.

Teen’s Recovery Continues as City Reflects on Storm’s Impact

As the teenage victim continues to recover in the hospital, the event serves as a powerful reminder of nature’s unpredictability.

Even in a bustling city like New York, one lightning bolt can change everything in an instant.