Thunder Can Be Heard Only About 10 Miles Away

Thunder does not travel as far as people tend to assume. The US National Weather Service states that thunder is the sound caused by a nearby flash of lightning and can be heard for a distance of only about 10 miles from the lightning strike. It also explains where the sound comes from. Thunder is created when lightning passes through the air. The lightning discharge heats the air rapidly and causes it to expand, and immediately after the flash the air cools and contracts quickly. The weather service draws a practical conclusion from the 10-mile figure. If you can hear thunder, the storm is close enough to matter, and the sound should serve as a warning to anyone outside that they are within striking distance.