In addition to the lightning strike, a power surge can also cause major damage to the unit
A couple weeks ago, we got some really heavy rain in the city that I live in. It was raining so hard that it began to hail outside. We had a tornado warning due to the severe weather. The rain fell in the early part of the evening and lasted for less than an hour, but it was so much rain that my backyard was filled with water. I have a small drain inside my yard and the water fills up inside of it. At first, I was concerned that the water would be so high that it would seep into my outdoor A/C condenser. Thankfully it did not, as the A/C condenser is placed on a concrete pad in a corner near the wall. HVAC units are resilient pieces of equipment and they are built to withstand severe weather conditions. From hail to heavy winds and rain to direct sunlight to blizzards, and more, they should hold up in inclement weather. And of course, it makes sense that the A/C condenser is durable because they are kept outside where they will be exposed to bad weather. The only thing I am not quite sure they would survive is a lightning strike. I would assume that a lightning strike would cause serious damage to the electrical components of the unit. In addition to the lightning strike, a power surge can also cause major damage to the unit. The chances that my A/C condenser would get struck by lightning or face a power surge are slim to none. However, I do need to get the drain inspected to avoid my yard from flooding again.