Dangerous Summer Lightning Strikes Again – Local Walgreens Pharmacy Left Dark for Several Days

Lightning Bolt Hits Pompano Beach Walgreens Causing Power Outage

By Kristen Hernandez

Caroline Moore and her husband sat on their front patio watching Sunday’s late afternoon storm roll in from the west. At around 4:45 p.m. the sky began to darken, and thunder boomed overhead. Moore watched as a bright lightning bolt zigzagged up Atlantic Blvd., striking the popular neighborhood Walgreens Pharmacy at 1101 E. Atlantic Blvd in Pompano Beach, causing the store to lose power for several days.

“We watched this lightning bolt hit the store vertically, and it almost zigzagged across Atlantic Blvd.,” Moore said. “Usually, it’s thunder but this lightning was very loud.”

Moore stood in front of the locked doors of Walgreens, trying to pick up her medication from the pharmacy. A large group of people began to gather, all trying to shop or pick up their prescriptions.

“This is my second visit to the store in two days to pick up my diabetes medication. If the power doesn’t come back soon, I’m in trouble,” Moore said.

A handwritten sign was posted in the door window, and in the pharmacy drive through window. It said: “We are temporarily closed as we have no power. We’re hoping to be open at 12 p.m. once power is restored. We apologize for the inconvenience. Thanks, Management.”

FPL repair crews were seen in the parking lot, working in the blistering heat and relentless storms that continued to pelt the store. Walgreens employees could be seen through the windows inside the dark, hot store working on damage control, trying to keep up with melting ice cream and spoiling milk in the powerless freezers. Tuesday’s temperature was 92 degrees with a “feels like” temperature in the triple digits. 

“This year, the lightning seems worse than ever,” Moore said. “The Earth goes through climate change every so many thousands of years. It’s not unusual. The weather system is clearly changing and it’s happening right before our eyes. This year is wicked nasty.”

At around 5 p.m. Tuesday, FPL crew members were able to restore power. Walgreens employees began the massive job of cleaning up the store. Walgreens reopened later Tuesday evening, with almost no trace of the chaos experienced over the last few days, except the sign on the doors was replaced with signs on the freezers that read: “No sellable items. We apologize for the inconvenience. Thanks, Management.”

Florida residents have a front row seat to the effects of a rapidly changing climate. Lightning has been particularly fierce this year. Earlier in July, Pat E. Larkin Community Center was also hit by lightning, causing them to lose power for over two days.