Photographer from Pinar del Río Captures Stunning Lightning Storm Image

On Tuesday, August 25, Pinar del Río's own photographer and entrepreneur, Mikely Arencibia Pantoja, snapped an extraordinary image amidst a lightning storm. The photograph, featuring a striking visual alignment of a light beam in a violet setting with a vertical red streak descending from the clouds, has become one of the most captivating meteorological images shared on Cuban social media recently.

With a mix of excitement and relief, the photographer described the moment on Facebook: "I just captured this image that stayed in front of my camera lens for only a second. I've been chasing this storm for days, and finally, persistence paid off."

Arencibia acknowledged the risk involved in taking the shot: "Despite the danger, it remains an astonishing spectacle of nature, which is why I felt compelled to share it."

Visual Harmony of Nature

From a residential area in the city, the photograph showcases a stormy sky filled with dark grey cumulonimbus clouds. In the foreground, low-rise rooftops, palm trees, electric wires, and a telecommunications antenna are visible. Over this everyday urban landscape, the lightning illuminates the scene in vivid purple, as a column of light with orange, red, and yellow hues falls vertically from the clouds to the horizon.

Recognition Beyond Borders

The image quickly surpassed its author's social media profile when Rubén Capote, a Cuban meteorologist based in Tampa and Chief Meteorologist of Telemundo 49, shared it on his own Facebook profile. He praised it, stating, "There are photos, and then there's this one, which stands out... Spectacularly taken this afternoon in Pinar del Río, Cuba," giving credit to "Mikely Arencibia."

Arencibia expressed his gratitude for the renowned professional's gesture: "I just received the blessed news that Ruben Capote, Chief Meteorologist at Telemundo, posted my photo from Tuesday's storm in Pinar del Río. I just want to thank him for such kindness."

Rubén Capote graduated with honors in Meteorology from Cuba's Institute of Higher Technologies and Applied Sciences (InSTEC) and worked on the island as a specialist in environmental and technological risk management and analysis before emigrating. In 2018, he joined Telemundo 49 Tampa as a meteorologist and has served as Chief Meteorologist since November 2022. His endorsement adds further scientific and professional weight to the image.

Storms and Photography: A Growing Trend

The image appears to capture an evening electrical storm, with visible lightning and intense illumination of the clouds and a potential rain curtain. The spectacular red vertical band might be related to rain lit by low-angle sunlight, while the lightning enhances the storm's illumination. However, a single photograph cannot definitively determine the optical mechanism responsible for the luminous column.

Official forecasts for August 24 and 25 had already predicted showers and thunderstorms in Pinar del Río, with the possibility of being strong in some locations—a chance Arencibia Pantoja efficiently seized.

Pinar del Río, Cuba's westernmost province, experiences high convective activity during the summer months, from May to October. It's not the first time a storm in the region has produced striking images: back in August 2025, Havana photographer Miguel Kosta went viral with images of lightning over Vedado during a nighttime storm, highlighting the growing interest among Cubans in documenting these atmospheric phenomena.

Arencibia Pantoja is known on social media for his critical posts about the island's everyday reality. His recent reflections on shortages and power outages in Cuba have sparked comments and reactions among his followers. This time, however, nature—and his keen eye—provided the image of the moment.