WATCH: Jim Cantore Witnesses Rare Thundersnow in Chicago Live on Weather Channel

A rare weather phenomenon known as thundersnow was caught on camera during a live broadcast by The Weather Channel's Jim Cantore on Friday, and his reaction builds on a legacy of viral thundersnow moments.

The thundersnow occurred while Cantore was reporting on a blizzard in Chicago. Cantore immediately paused after a bright flash mid-broadcast, as snow fell rapidly.

“Ooh,” Cantore is heard saying. “Is that lightning? That was lightning.”

Cantore then takes a few steps back and says “We just had it, we just had it!”

“I saw it, saw it even with a light in my face,” Cantore continued. 

Cantore was responding to a thundersnow event happening before his eyes while on location.

Since 1996, Jim Cantore of The Weather Channel has been enlightening viewers on the phenomenon of thundersnow, and his excited reactions have gone viral and earned both compilation videos and autotune songs.

Chicago Office of Emergency Management and Communication Executive Director Jose Tirado alerted residents Friday that any upcoming travel could potentially become dangerous as more snow was expected. 

"If you must travel, use extreme caution," Tirado said, according to WMAQ.

Dr. Olumsibo Ige, the Commissioner of Chicago Department of Public Health, said that those who have health issues should stay indoors and not endure physical activities like snowball fights and snow shoveling.

"Playing outside in the cold for long periods can also take a toll. So help keep them indoors as much as possible," Ige said.

Chicago Fire Commissioner Annette Nance-Holt said ahead of the storm that lives .

"Limit your time outdoors," Nance-Holt said. "We have not seen cold weather like this since 2019."

The storm is brewing and stewing across the U.S., with expected single-digit temperatures from the Texas and Oklahoma panhandles all the way up into the Canadian border. Blizzard conditions are forecast through the Midwest and southward.