WATCH: DC bombarded with lightning so intense it prompts jokes about alien attack

Powerful thunderstorms besieged Washington, DC and surrounding areas Thursday night, as lightning lit up the night skies, prompting some to speculate whether the gods were angry or if aliens were finally attacking our planet.

The National Weather Service had issued a severe thunderstorm warning for Washington,DC amid a spate of extreme weather across the eastern seaboard of the US in recent days. Eyewitness video uploaded to social media captured the ferocity of the terrifying tempest. 

Footage of the Capitol being bombarded by bolts from above prompted jokes and GIFs galore on social media, as apparently avid film fans speculated about angered gods, attacking aliens, time-traveling terminators, and impending natural disaster. 

It was the second night in a row that the US capital was hit by spectacular weather, with 50,000 residents experiencing power cuts on Wednesday night, and localized flash flooding striking certain parts in the greater DC area. 

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