What should you do if you hear thunder?

What should you do if you hear thunder?

If you hear thunder, lightning is close enough to strike you. When you hear thunder, immediately move to safe shelter: a substantial building with electricity or plumbing or an enclosed, metal-topped vehicle with windows up. Stay in safe shelter at least 30 minutes after you hear the last sound of thunder.

What should you do if during an outdoor activity you hear the thunder?

If You Are Caught Outside During a Thunderstorm

1. Keep moving towards safe shelter.
2. Stay away from isolated trees or other tall objects.
3. Avoid open fields, hills, boulder fields, rocky outcrops, and ridge tops.
4. Avoid bodies of water and metal objects, which can conduct electricity.

When a storm is in the distance what do you notice first do you hear the thunder or see the lightning first?

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. We can estimate the distance of the lightning by counting how many seconds it takes until we hear the thunder. It takes approximately 5 seconds for the sound to travel 1 mile.

Can you hear thunder from far away?

Thunder can be heard up to 25 miles away, and lightning strikes have been documented to occur as far as 25 miles from thunderstorms – known as a “bolt from the blue.” So if you can hear thunder, you’re close enough to be hit by lightning, and sheltering indoors or in an enclosed car is your safest bet.

What does it mean when you hear thunder?

The sound of thunder should serve as a warning to anyone outside that they are within striking distance of the storm and need to get to a safe place immediately! Thunder is created when lightning passes through the air. The lightning discharge heats the air rapidly and causes it to expand.

What is the saying if you hear thunder?

“We have a very simple saying: ‘When thunder roars, go indoors. ‘ Which means,” he says, “if you hear thunder you need to be inside right away.” “That would be 50 seconds and really, that’s about the distance you can hear thunder. So, even a distant rumble should tell you you’re close enough to be struck by lightning.”

What safety measures should be taken during lightning and thunderstorm?

Protect Yourself from Lightning Strikes

• Immediately get off elevated areas such as hills, mountain ridges, or peaks.
• Never lie flat on the ground.
• Never shelter under an isolated tree.
• Never use a cliff or rocky overhang for shelter.
• Immediately get out of and away from ponds, lakes, and other bodies of water.

What is a safe distance for lightning?

While lightning has been recorded to strike at a distance of 10 miles, the rule of thumb used for safety is a six mile distance. Thus, seeking shelter is recommended if the lightning is six miles away or less.

How far can you hear thunder?

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. The sound of thunder should serve as a warning to anyone outside that they are within striking distance of the storm and need to get to a safe place immediately!

How far is a storm when you hear thunder?

A general rule of thumb to know how far off a bolt of lightning is when you hear thunder, if you count the number of seconds between the flash of lightning and the sound of thunder, and then divide by 5, you’ll get the distance in miles to the lightning: 5 seconds = 1 mile, 15 seconds = 3 miles, 0 seconds = very close.

Why do we hear thunder?

Thunder is caused by the rapid expansion of the air surrounding the path of a lightning bolt. However, the grumbles and growls we hear in thunderstorms actually come from the rapid expansion of the air surrounding the lightning bolt.

How long does it take for the sound of Thunder to travel a mile?

It typically takes the sound of thunder 5 seconds to travel a mile. So, by counting the number of seconds it takes between the flash of lightning and the sound of thunder, you can determine how far you are from the lightning strike.

How to calculate distance between flash of lightning and sound of Thunder?

Understanding Lightning: Thunder. If you count the number of seconds between the flash of lightning and the sound of thunder, and then divide by 5, you’ll get the distance in miles to the lightning: 5 seconds = 1 mile, 15 seconds = 3 miles, 0 seconds = very close.

How many miles from lightning strike can you hear thunder?

Thunder can be heard from a distance of approximately 10 miles from the point of the lightning strike. If you can hear the sound of thunder, it’s a warning that you’re within striking distance of the storm.

What does it mean when you hear the sound of Thunder?

If you can hear the sound of thunder, it’s a warning that you’re within striking distance of the storm. When lightning strikes, the air temperature in the lightning path can soar as high as 50,000 degrees Fahrenheit (more than five times hotter than the sun’s surface).