I was told when very young that each count, one, two, three, etc was a mile, so when we saw the flash we counted and if it reached to eight, or something like that before the rumble, it was 8 miles away
But that is what mum said, so i suppose she knew other than that i don't have a clue
its said 3 seconds to a KM but in real life this can be affected by atmospheric conditions ie.. wind, dust, rain etc... Sometimes strikes dont produce a definate beginning and end so it is hard to judge. I have also encountered thunderless lightning, where the sound does not reach the observer at all, due to various reasons I have no idea on
its said 3 seconds to a KM but in real life this can be affected by atmospheric conditions ie.. wind, dust, rain etc... Sometimes strikes dont produce a definate beginning and end so it is hard to judge. I have also encountered thunderless lightning, where the sound does not reach the observer at all, due to various reasons I have no idea on
Sometimes that can be due to just prevailing winds and distance (where the wind is passing from you towards the lightning) but most time it is truly "soundless" is due to air temperature or density gradients that curve the sound waves up away from the surface. (The opposite effect to temperature inversions that let you listen to normal conversations across a still lake some kilometres away... Tuggerah Lakes is great for that!)
If the hair melts off your head, you're too close.
Twice I've been within 15m of ground strikes. Fortunately, they missed. One hit the truck beside me in a parking lot, and the other hit the bridge I was driving across at the time. With the bridge strike I had my window down. My ears rang for a while after that.
The bang hits you before your brain has processed the flash.
I've also been on aircraft when they were struck, once over Pakistan and once over the US. I don't care to repeat that.
That is four strikes way too close. Don't stand near me in a storm
Eric
As I said in the near death thing one got me.. I sure heard the bang before it knocked me out...and I am terrified when it is going on..up home on the mountain strikes seem to happen all along the ridge...freaks me bad.
There was lightning here today I was scared the dogs were also and I was counting to only three between the flash and the crash.
I would love to see one of those maps that record the strikes so I can worry more...
You can see a little trail down the mountain range I am on and there is a big strike pretty well at my place..well as good as you can tell . North of the border looks insane.
I dont think I will leave the house now.
Thanks you probably saved my life .. its stupid but I get to thinking it is after me.. alone up there I think some crazy thoughts but looking at the map does not make me feel good at all.
alex
...one thousand, two thousand, three thousand ..bang
... so how many klms
?
other than that i don't have a clue 
(or "three thousands")
