Flash-to-bang method
![Two hikers look at distant lightning and count how long it takes to hear the thunder to estimate how far the lightning is away](https://images.prismic.io/sketchplanations/35040311-932b-42d4-b769-5bdb4904e7e3_SP+780+-+Flash-to-bang+method.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&w=3840&q=50)
How far away is the storm? The flash-to-bang method can help.
When lightning is made by a storm the rapid heating and expansion of the air create the thunderclap. But because sound travels slower than light, there's a gap between seeing the lightning and hearing the thunder it produced. Using Distance = speed x time, by counting the seconds from seeing the lightning you can easily estimate how far away it is.
Conveniently, the speed of sound in air is about 330 metres/second. So depending on your unit preference:
- every 3s you wait the thunder travels about 1 km
- every 5s you wait the thunder travels about 1 mile
Give it a try at a safe distance from your next lightning storm.
Also see: thunderclap or rumble, thunder clouds, dirty thunderstorm
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