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The world's tallest tower became a lightning rod over the weekend
14 April 2019
| Last updated on 14 April 2019
Where there's rain in Dubai, thunder and lightning usually follow...
Especially recently, as the emirate has had a wave of wet weather - a lot more than what we're used to! The tumultuous weather began last week and continued throughout the weekend until Sunday morning.
To display just how incredible the weather has been, a stunning video captured the world's tallest tower being struck by lightning over the weekend. The footage captures just a few seconds, in which you can watch up to a billion volts of electricity discharged by the lightning hit Burj Khalifa.
SEE ALSO: The storm in Dubai last night was insane
Never one to disappoint with incredible photos and video footage, the slow-motion video was shared by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammad bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai. He shared the video via his official Twitter account, and it shows the spire of the 829 meter-tall Burj Khalifa hit by the lightning - or what he called, 'Nature's flash'.
When lightning strikes, objects on the ground - like steeples, trees and even the Earth itself - become positively charged. This creates an imbalance that nature seeks to fix by passing a current between the two charges.
In Dubai's case, the spire of the world's tallest tower, Burj Khalifa, became the city's lightning rod as the tall structure diverted the lightning harmlessly into the ground.
How does Burj Khalifa protect itself from lightning?
Burj Khalifa has experienced several lightning strikes over the years, and the building boasts one of the most advanced lightning prevention systems in the world. It has a lightning deflection system (LPS) installed, which meals when the building is hit, the electrical discharge is drawn to its central spire to protect the building.
SEE ALSO: Why a weekend in Dubai is good for your soul
The tip of the Burj Khalifa is also covered with panels containing sensors that can identify the activity in the atmosphere. When the lightning condition is detected, the polarity of the charge is identified. Once it identifies the polarity, it creates a potential charge at the tip that is nine times stronger than any other system in the market today.
