Why does thunder echo?

The first loud sound comes from the part of the main lightning bolt closest to us and the following rumbles come from those that are farther away. The sound may bounce off the low hanging clouds, nearby hills or buildings to create a series of low and continuous echoes. Lightning also occurs inside a cloud.
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Why does thunder sound like a rumble?

At large distances from the center, the shock wave (thunder) can be many miles across. To the listener, the combination of shock waves gives thunder the continuous rumble we hear.
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What causes thunder to be so loud?

The combination of millions of shock waves gives thunder the continuous booming/rumbling sound we hear. The temperature of the atmosphere affects the sound of thunder as well as how far it travels. Sound waves move faster in warm air than in cool air.
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Why does thunder sound like a sonic boom?

Overview. Thunder is a result of the rapid expansion of super heated air caused by the extremely high temperature of lightning. As a lightning bolt passes through the air, the air expands faster than the speed of sound, generating a "sonic boom".
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Why does the thunder sound weird?

So if we have warmer air aloft the top part of the sound wave travels faster than the bottom. This causes the sound wave (thunder) to bend and move down toward the ground. Normally the opposite is true on a hot, humid summer afternoon with a thunderstorm.
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What Causes The Sound Of Thunder?

Why do we hear thunder some seconds?

At the time of Lightning, flash, and thunder are emitted at the same time. As the light travels faster than the sound, the flash can be seen almost at the time of lightning. But the sound of thunder is heard after a few seconds of lightning.
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Can thunder shake a house?

As the shockwave rushes outward it can run into structures like your house, causing it to rumble or shake. Essentially your house is shaking or rattling from those rapidly heated air molecules hitting it! Cloud to ground lightning is the typical producer of house-rattling thunder.
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How long can thunder last?

A typical lightning bolt is 4 - 5 miles long. Since sound travels about one mile in 5 seconds, the rumbling sounds of thunder from a single bolt can last for up to 25 seconds from start to finish. And, we can hear thunder from lightning up to 10 miles away.
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Why is it called a clap of thunder?

The electrical power generated in lightning seems to part the air and when it closes back you experience the sound, like clapping your hands. Thus, 'claps of thunder'!
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Which is faster, lightning or thunder?

But you see lightning before you hear thunder because light, which travels a million times faster than sound, arrives almost instantly. Sound, on the other hand, takes about five seconds to travel one mile.
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Why am I scared of loud thunder?

Astraphobia, or fear of thunderstorms, is classified as a specific phobia. Your phobia may limit your activities by causing anxiety-related symptoms. Phobias are diagnosed based on DSM-5 criteria. They're thought to develop due to a combination of trauma, stress, genetics, brain chemistry, and learned responses.
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Should I be worried about loud 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!
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Why do we see lightning before thunder?

In nature, a lightning flash and the associated thunder occur at almost the same time in a thunderstorm. A person on the ground sees the lightning flash before hearing the thunder because light at a speed of around 300,000,000 meters per second travels much faster than sound which moves at 340 meters per second.
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What does it mean when thunder echoes?

The first loud sound comes from the part of the main lightning bolt closest to us and the following rumbles come from those that are farther away. The sound may bounce off the low hanging clouds, nearby hills or buildings to create a series of low and continuous echoes. Lightning also occurs inside a cloud.
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What does it mean when thunder doesn't stop?

Fun fact: thunder can seem like it goes on and on because each point along the channel produces a shock wave and sound wave, so what you hear as thunder is actually an accumulation of multiple sound waves from the different portions of the lightning channel.
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Should you take cover under a tree during a thunderstorm?

Myth: If outside in a thunderstorm, you should seek shelter under a tree to stay dry. Fact: Being underneath a tree is the second leading cause of lightning casualties. Better to get wet than fried! Myth: If you are in a house, you are 100% safe from lightning.
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Why are thunderclaps so loud?

All gases expand when the temperature increases, so when lightning superheats the air at just a fraction of a second, the air expands so rapidly that it compresses the air in front of it. Thunder is the acoustic soundwave generated by this quick expansion and contraction of air.
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What is a silent thunder?

Silent Thunder is being strong and resolute without lashing out.
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What is the difference between lightning and thunder?

A bolt of lightning heats the air along its path causing it to expand rapidly. Thunder is the sound caused by the rapidly expanding air.
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Why is thunder worse at night?

The sun heats the land unevenly during the day, and when the heating from the sun stops at night, changes occur in the atmosphere that force a strong "jet" of air just above the ground.
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What attracts lightning to a house?

Objects that are tall, or objects that are good for conducting electricity will attract lightning. Stay away from them. Inside your home, stay away from anything connected with wires or piping (TVs, lights, appliances, faucets, etc.).
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What causes nonstop lightning?

The glaciation process produces a charge differential in the storm cloud. In cases where very rapid and intense glaciation occurs (very high CAPE), lightning and thunder will be generated to a significant degrees.
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Is it safe to sleep upstairs during a thunderstorm?

When a severe thunderstorm threatens, follow the same safety rules you do if a tornado threatens. Go to a basement if available. If not, go to the lowest level of the building and move to a small interior room or hallway. Stay away from doors and windows.
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Where is the safest place to be in a thunderstorm?

There is NO SAFE PLACE OUTSIDE. Follow these safety rules: 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 the last sound of thunder.
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Why stay away from windows during lightning?

Myth #9 – A house will always keep you safe from lightning.

Fact: While a house is the safest place you can be during a storm, just going inside isn't enough. You must avoid any conducting path leading outside, such as electrical appliances, wires, TV cables, plumbing, metal doors or metal window frames.
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