KEY POINTS:
It was the best show in town, and admission was free.
Herald photographer Brett Phibbs captured this remarkable image about 10.30 on Wednesday night as spectators on Narrowneck Beach in Devonport gazed at a spectacular lightning storm which swept the skies above Auckland.
At the storm's peak, 1200 lightning strikes an hour were recorded over the upper North Island, said the Weatherwatch Centre.
Auckland had about one flash of lightning every five seconds. By the end of the night, there had been more than 6500 flashes.
Head weather analyst Philip Duncan said the strike rate was on a scale not usually seen outside Tornado Alley in the central USA.
Police had to convince some callers the country was not being attacked.
Staff at the police northern communications centre said they were inundated with calls from people who thought the silver-lit sky signalled the beginning of World War III.
Metservice weather ambassador Bob McDavitt said the electrical storm was the result of sea breezes converging over the Coromandel Peninsula.
"Auckland had only a light breeze, with clear skies, but when this south-west wind met still air in the Coromandel, it produced a lot of moisture in the air, and a large storm."
"It has been a while since we have had a large electrical storm. A lot of static electricity must have built up in the atmosphere."
By 1am the violent storm had moved offshore.
