Lightning Threshold

[Chris Schultz]

I’ve been about 100’ from a strike. Nothing in the world is like it you can feel the sound of the arc and the thunder doesn’t sound like thunder but all the worlds sounds getting sucked out in a vacuum and rushing back in at the same instant.

Same, when I worked on the ski area, lightning struck just across the snowmaking pond from where I was standing. The sizzle, the taste, and that ear shattering clap were otherworldly.

 

[GregManning]

Is there any validity to counting the seconds when you see a flash to the sound of thunder to roughly calculate miles?
radar on the phone is the tool now. 5-10 miles away is my comfort zone. Luckily not in a scenario where lightning is the difference between profit margins...humbly... definitely have been.

@RogerM , @Bart_

767 = mph, approx. speed of sound
0.21 = miles per sec.

The speed of light is practically instantaneous.

Thus, 5 sec. delay indicates approx. 1 mile.

As a kid (60-70 years ago), I thought 1 sec delay = 1 mile.
Seems this was very wrong.

 

[Bart_]

If you want to Science Guy somebody, and it's intriguing, watch somebody punt a football or soccer ball from the far end of the field - motion, ball takes off and then a bit later "thump". fascinated me one day as a kid with no science knowledge

at 5 sec per mile I experienced 1000' psychologically too close for comfort. at 100' you're lucky to still be with us

 

[chris_girard]

There's nothing I recall seeing in my owners manual about distance so I go with OSHA.

Same here Steve.