/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/G3CKMSF3MJHE7KMWX52BDPEHJA.jpeg "See lightning strike the Residences at 400 Central in St. Petersburg")
By Lightning struck what is expected to be the tallest residential tower on Florida’s west coast as afternoon and evening thunderstorms rolled through the area on Wednesday.
Several photos and videos provided to the Tampa Bay Times show lightning striking the top of the construction site located at 400 Central Ave. in St. Petersburg at about 5 p.m. Red Apple Development and Suffolk Construction broke ground on the location, which is called The Residences at 400 Central, more than two years ago.
The Residences at 400 Central said in a statement that the “building is designed with protections to manage weather events.”
The statement did not say if the building was damaged.
The area’s typical summer thunderstorms, which ignite when cool air from over the Gulf of Mexico clashes with warmer air over land, are back after being largely absent last summer.
The rainy season in Tampa Bay typically peaks from July to September. Since the start of the month, Tampa has recorded more than 3.5 inches of rain, according to the National Weather Service.
