Posted by: Krysten Swensen September 18, 2022

As a lot of people may know, Florida is home to some pretty wild weather. Every year, from June 1 through November 30, it is hurricane season in the Sunshine State. That means that there will be rain almost every day, thunderstorms will be the norm, and the weather can turn on a dime. If you are visiting Walt Disney World Resort during these months, it is always a good idea to throw an umbrella or a rain poncho into your suitcase.

Thankfully, this year, so far, Florida has not experienced any major hurricanes. However, that has not stopped the weather from being intense. Florida is the lightning capital of the United States, which means that the sky will light up during a storm. From fork lightning to lightning that makes the middle of the night look like it’s daytime, there is a little bit of everything in Florida.

Recently, Guests visiting Walt Disney World Resort saw the weather turn and were treated to a gorgeous sight over Spaceship Earth in EPCOT. Guests saw what are called cloud flashes. According to the National Severe Storms Laboratory, cloud flashes “sometimes have visible channels that extend out into the air around the storm (cloud-to-air or CA), but do not strike the ground. The term sheet lightning is used to describe an IC flash embedded within a cloud that lights up as a sheet of luminosity during the flash.”

Video of the lightning was shared on Twitter by theme park insider Scott Gustin, which had versions in both full speed and slow motion.

Full video: https://t.co/9D2CpLtEDr

— Scott Gustin (@ScottGustin) September 16, 2022

This is not the only intense weather that has been recorded at Walt Disney World in recent days. During another day at EPCOT, Guests were shocked when they spotted what they believed to be a funnel cloud forming by Spaceship Earth. You can watch a video of that here. Since the event, meteorologists have said that the “funnel cloud” was most likely a SCUD cloud — a type of cloud that typically lies below storm clouds.

Earlier this summer, Guests also filmed lightning shooting out over the popular Disney Park attraction, the Haunted Mansion. The lightning definitely added to the ride’s ominous presence in Liberty Square.

Have you ever seen wild weather while visiting Walt Disney World?

DisneyDining.com is not affiliated with The Walt Disney Company. Official information can be found at DisneyParks.com