HOKITIKA, New Zealand – A radar stationed on the west coast of New Zealand was shredded by a powerful lighting strike last week, putting the radar out of commission. The incident occurred Thursday when the area near Hokitika, where the radar is located, was hit by a 156,000-amp bolt of lightning. MetService New Zealand said the bolt was about five times more powerful than a typical bolt for the country, producing enough energy to power an average home for two years. The agency said that they are using other means of monitoring the weather, such as satellite imagery, nearby radar sites, weather stations and high-resolution computer models. HOW TO WATCH FOX WEATHERLightning strikes occur more frequently in the summer, but strikes that occur in the winter are more powerful, according to New Zealand Geographic.