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In pictures: Major storm hits New York City

The West Coast's first major storm of the season floods part of the city and causes damage to the iconic Brooklyn Bridge

Thursday 03 July 2014 14:28 BST

Lightning strikes One World Trade Center in Manhattan as the sun sets behind the city after a summer storm in New York

With the American storm season in its early stages, lightning struck The Big Apple as New Yorkers prepare for Hurricane Arthur.

Yesterday, lightning and rain caused havoc throughout New York, leading to relentless electrical storms, flooding in parts of Brooklyn and parts of the iconic Brooklyn Bridge being ripped away by heavy winds.

With no sign of the storm relenting anytime soon, Hurricane Arthur is expected to hit America's largest city within the next few days and cause disruption to much of the East Coast's Independence Day celebrations.

Alongside the chaos and destruction caused by the storm, many New Yorkers took it upon themselves to take a number of incredible pictures of Arthur in its full glory.

In pictures: Major storm hits New York City

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1/15In pictures: Major storm hits New York City

In pictures: Major storm hits New York City

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Lightning hits One World Trade Center in Lower Manhattan in New York

In pictures: Major storm hits New York City

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Lightning strikes One World Trade Center in Manhattan as the sun sets behind the city after a summer storm in New York

In pictures: Major storm hits New York City

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A rainbow forms over Lower Manhattan during a storm in New York

In pictures: Major storm hits New York City

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With the United Nations and Tudor City in the foreground, lightning strikes in the sky over the East River as a major storm approaches New York City

In pictures: Major storm hits New York City

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Lighting strikes over the Empire State Building in New York

In pictures: Major storm hits New York City

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Lightning strikes above the Manhattan skyline during sunset after a summer storm in New York

In pictures: Major storm hits New York City

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Two bolts of lightning hit midtown Manhattan during a storm in New York

In pictures: Major storm hits New York City

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Lightning streaks in the sky over midtown Manhattan in New York

In pictures: Major storm hits New York City

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A man stands underneath the Brooklyn Bridge during a summer storm bearing down on New York

In pictures: Major storm hits New York City

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Dark clouds form over lower Manhattan as a major storm comes in over the city of New York

In pictures: Major storm hits New York City

Tropical Storm Arthur

In this handout provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) from the GOES-Wast satellite, weather system Arthur travels up the east coast of the United States in the Atlantic Ocean

In pictures: Major storm hits New York City

Tropical Storm Arthur

In this handout provided by NASA from the the Earth-orbiting International Space Station, weather system Arthur travels up the east coast of the United States in the Atlantic Ocean near Florida in space. The robotic arm of the Space Station Remote Manipulator System or Canadarm2 is seen at upper right. According to reports, Arthur has begun moving steadily northward at around 5 kt. and the tropical storm is expected to strike the North Carolina Outer Banks

In pictures: Major storm hits New York City

Tropical Storm Arthur

In this handout provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) from the GOES-West satellite, weather system Arthur travels up the east coast of the United States in the Atlantic Ocean

In pictures: Major storm hits New York City

Tropical Storm Arthur

In this handout provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) from the GOES-East satellite, Tropical Storm Arthur travels up the east coast of the United States in the Atlantic Ocean

In pictures: Major storm hits New York City

Tropical Storm Arthur

In this handout provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) from the GOES-East satellite, weather system Arthur travels up the east coast of the United States in the Atlantic Ocean

Video: Footage of tropical storm Arthur from space

From how the storm looked from space to the One World Trade Center becoming a 541ft Van Der Graaf Generator above are a selection of some of the most incredible storm images.

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