What causes thunder?

What does it mean if thunder is really loud

If the thunder sounds more like a rumble, the lightning was at least several miles away. The loud boom that you sometimes hear is created by the main lightning channel as it reaches the ground. Usually, a sharp crack or click will indicate that the lightning channel passed nearby.

What causes thunder lightning

The rapid expansion and heating of air caused by lightning produces the accompanying loud clap of thunder. When the attraction becomes too strong, the positive and negative charges come together, or discharge, to balance the difference in a flash of lightning (also known as a lightning strike or lightning bolt).

Why does thunder sound like a bomb

We usually hear a loud boom followed by several seconds of rumble because the sudden heating causes the surrounding air to expand violently and produces large sound waves, similar to what happens in a bomb explosion, along the entire length of the lightning bolt.

What causes thunder without lightning

Thunder begins as a shockwave from the explosively expanding lightning channel when a large current causes rapid heating, so it is impossible to have thunder without lightning. However, it is possible to see lightning and not hear the thunder because it was too far away.

What is the difference between lightning and thunder

Thunder and lightning are independent of one another, but they also occur separately. Thunder is a form of sound energy, whereas lightning is a form of electrical energy. Thunders sound travels at a speed of 768 mph, whereas lightnings light travels at a speed of 670 million mph.

Can you get hurt by thunder

If you can hear thunder, you are within 10 miles (16 km) of a storm—and can be struck by lightning. Seek shelter and avoid situations in which you may be vulnerable.Jun 24, 2005.

Is it safe to have a shower during a thunderstorm

Because lightning can travel through plumbing, it is best to avoid all water during a thunderstorm. It is not safe to take a shower or a bath.

What causes thunder and lightning without rain

In fact, the thunder-bearing clouds do produce rain, but the rain droplets have evaporated in the air before reaching the ground, so a dry thunderstorm is defined as thunder and lightning that occur without bringing rain to the ground.

What does it mean when thunder lasts a long time

These louder, elevated thunderstorms are most common in the winter as storms develop in warm air above a cooler air mass, trapping the sound waves and allowing them to bounce back and forth, contributing to a louder boom and making the thunderous sound last longer too.

How long does a thunderstorm usually last

The average thunderstorm is 15 miles in diameter, lasts an average of 30 minutes, and affects relatively small areas compared to hurricanes and winter storms. Nearly 1,800 thunderstorms are active at any given time worldwide.

Can lightning strike inside a house

About one-third of lightning-strike injuries happen indoors, so even though your house is a safe haven during a storm, you could still be in danger.

Is thunder a sonic boom

Thunder is essentially a sonic “boom,” and these shock waves are created when the intense heat of lightning superheats air, causing it to expand faster than the speed of sound.

Is it normal for thunder to shake a house

If you are close enough to feel that boundary, your house will undoubtedly tremble as the initial shock wave separates sharply from the air in front of it, producing the startling boom of thunder.

Is there ever thunder without lightning

Thunder begins as a shockwave from the explosively expanding lightning channel when a large current causes rapid heating, so it is impossible to have thunder without lightning. However, it is possible to see lightning and not hear the thunder because it was too far away.

Where does lightning come from the ground or the sky

A typical cloud-to-ground flash lowers a path of negative electricity (that we cannot see) towards the ground in a series of spurts, while objects on the ground typically have a positive charge. The answer is both. Cloud-to-ground lightning comes from the sky down, but the part you see comes from the ground up.

How can you avoid lightning

Avoid lying on concrete floors or leaning against concrete walls during a thunderstorm because lightning can pass through any metal wires or bars in concrete walls or flooring. Avoid windows, doors, porches, and concrete.

What causes explosive thunder

Answer: The air rapidly expanding around a lightning bolts path is what causes thunder.17

What does it mean when thunder is super loud

Thunder is so loud because of how much electrical energy is being discharged from the cloud to the ground; its like a huge waterfall of electricity.11 Light travels through air much more quickly than sound, so the louder the sound you hear, the closer you are to the lightning.