Image of rare triple lightning bolt captured over Chicago's night sky

Chicago-based photographer Barry Butler captured the rare sight on July 29.

CHICAGO – Photographer Barry Butler captured the moment three lightning bolts struck three skyscrapers at the same time as storms rolled into the Windy City last week.

Such a sight is a spectacular and rare event to photograph, and the image below shows what it looked like.

Three thin, jagged veins of lavender can be seen shooting through the plush purple sky, striking the John Hancock Center, the Trump Hotel and the Willis Tower.

Triple lightning strike. July 29, 2023.

(Barry Butler Photography / FOX Weather)

"It was insane, the amount of lightning that was in the sky," Butler said. "It was just a show like I've never seen before."

Butler tweeted that he captured the image at 12:36 a.m. Saturday. The lightning bolts were all caught in one exposure.

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While triple lightning strikes are rare, Butler has managed to photograph them more than once. The photo below of a triple lighting strike was taken in July 2014.

Triple lightning strike. July 12, 2014.

(Barry Butler Photography / FOX Weather)

Butler has managed to photograph a number of striking lightning scenes over the years. The image below from 2021 shows scattered lightning making its presence known from behind a skyscraper.

Scattered lightning. June 21, 2021.

(Barry Butler Photography / FOX Weather)

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One image from 2014 captured the moment a lightning bolt appears to split, hitting two points in the city's skyline.

Wide lightning bolt. June 30, 2014.

(Barry Butler Photography / FOX Weather)

While lightning appears more brightly at night, another photo shot by Butler shows that lightning can be just as captivating when the sun is still up, especially when it is accompanied by a rainbow.

Lightning and rainbow. June 25, 2020.

(Barry Butler Photography / FOX Weather)