What does it mean when you hear loud thunder?
A big noise Why is thunder so loud? It’s because the amount of electrical energy that flows from the cloud to the ground is so enormous: it’s like a very big waterfall of electricity. The louder the sound that you hear, the closer you are to the lightning. Light travels through air much faster than sound.
What causes the rolling sound of thunder?
The sudden increase in pressure and temperature from lightning produces rapid expansion of the air surrounding and within a bolt of lightning. In turn, this expansion of air creates a sonic shock wave, similar to a sonic boom, which produces the sound of thunder, often referred to as a clap, crack, or peal of thunder.
Why do I hear thunder but see no lightning?
No, it is not possible to have thunder without lightning. However, it is possible that you might see lightning and not hear the thunder because it was too far away. Sometimes this is called “heat lightning” because it occurs most often in the summer. Is lightning always produced by a thunderstorm?
Why does distant thunder sound like a rumble?
High pitch booms come from nearby lightning but distant thunder sounds deeper with lower rumbles. Because of air density dampens out higher frequencies, your ears only hear the lower frequencies propagating through the air. Longer rumbles come from lengthy bolts in the sky over several miles long.
Is really loud thunder bad?
Other than the threat of the lightning itself, does thunder — especially very loud thunder — pose any threat to people near the lightning strike? The shock wave and thunder (at very close range to the lightning bolt) can cause property damage, but no injuries have been reported.
Why does thunder shake the house?
Why does the house shake when there is a thunder storm? Your house will shake depending the closeness of the lightning. Thunder is a sonic boom that comes from the rapid heating of the air around a lightning strike. Sonic booms cause massive shaking to nearby objects (your house).
What causes the sound of Thunder in Arizona?
Thunder is caused by the rapid expansion of the air surrounding the path of a lightning bolt. Monsoon storm producing a forked lightning bolt from the Red Hills Visitors Center at Saguaro National Park in Arizona. Pete Gregoire, photographer, NOAA Weather in Focus Photo Contest 2015.
Do you hear thunder when it is snowing?
Thunder is not only heard during thunderstorms. It is uncommon, but not rare, to hear thunder when it is snowing. Lightning does not always create thunder. In April 1885, five lightning bolts struck the Washington Monument during a thunderstorm, yet no thunder was heard.
Why do we see lightning before we hear thunder?
The air then contracts rapidly as it cools. This creates an initial CRACK sound, followed by rumbles as the column of air continues to vibrate. If we are watching the sky, we see the lightning before we hear the thunder. That is because light travels much faster than sound waves.
Do you have to be outside when there is Thunder?
If you can hear thunder, the storm is near enough to you to pose an immediate threat; after the thunder ends, wait 30 minutes before resuming outdoor activities. If thunder clouds are anywhere near, you should not be outside. Lightning can travel long distances. It doesn’t have to be raining overhead for lightning to strike.
Why is the sound of thunder so loud?
The louder the sound that you hear, the closer you are to the lightning. Light travels through air much faster than sound. That’s why sometimes you see the lightning flash first and then you hear the thunder a few seconds later. If you see the lightning and hear the thunder immediately, then the lightning is very close to you.
What’s the difference between a rain and thunder sound generator?
It sounds very even, and works perfectly as a noise blocker but also is used to relieve stress and tension. While our rain noise provides a lot of rain, and just a touch of thunder rumble in the lower register, our thunder noise generator is the opposite: a lot of thunder, and just the right amount of rain to fill in the higher frequencies.
Why does mynoise play the sound of Thunder?
The Sound of Thunder, without the fear of strikes. Our Rain Noise is by far the most often played sound on myNoise, attracting thousands of visitors every day! It sounds very even, and works perfectly as a noise blocker but also is used to relieve stress and tension.
Is the sound of lightning and Thunder the same?
Thunder is the sound that lightning makes. So before I can explain how thunder works, I have to explain how lightning works, and clouds too – they all go together. Not every cloud can make thunder and lightning.