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(CNN) - Around 1,250 lightning strikes were recorded in western Washington state during a storm that caused widespread blackouts this Saturday night, the National Weather Service said.
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A strong line of thunderstorms developed over western Washington, bringing frequent lightning, heavy rains, floods and hail to the Puget Sound region, according to the National Weather Service office in Seattle.
The 1,250 rays were between 6 pm and 9 pm local time, he said. Of those, 200 were registered in the Seattle metropolitan area from 8 pm to 9 pm The intense heat of the lightning generates a sound called thunder, which is transmitted through the air at the speed of sound, he added.
Lightning and thunder occur at the same time, but as light travels faster than sound, lightning is seen before thunder is heard.
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“When lightning strikes, a bright flash of light is generated. Light travels at a constant speed of 300,000 kilometers per second, which means we see the flash immediately when it occurs, ”NASA said.
At its peak, the thunderstorm caused power outages to more than 4,500 customers, according to Seattle City Light.
The storm also delayed the football game between the University of Washington and UC Berkeley at Husky Stadium. It also caused an early closure of the Washington State Fair in Puyallup.
Washington rays