To put it simply, lightning flashes much sooner than the sound of thunder it produces because light will always travel faster than sound. The time between the two are used for various reasons, one of them being this, to find how far away the source of the sound was from you.
A flash from lightning can typically be seen by people up to about 100 miles away, depending on the conditions.
While the flash from lightning can be seen for a very far range, the sound itself can not be heard that far away. Depending on the conditions, you may be able to hear thunder that is up to 15 miles away.
If you see a flash of lightning then hear its thunder just a second later, the source of the lightning was about 1,125 feet away from you.
Thunder is not always going to sound the same, sometimes it is louder and more powerful than other times. But generally, yes, thunder is typically louder than a gunshot.
Create Date: October 21, 2024
Last Modified Date: October 21, 2024
