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After you see a flash of lightning, count the number of seconds until you hear the thunder. (Use the stop watch or count “One-Mississippi, Two-Mississippi, Three-Mississippi,” etc.) For every 5 seconds the storm is one mile away. Divide the number of seconds you count by 5 to get the number of miles.
How far away is lightning visible?
‘ All lightning comes from a thunderstorm, but you can see that lightning many miles away from a storm when the sky is clear (clear away from the storm, of course). How far? Depending on visibility conditions, you can see lightning from as far as 150 to 200 miles away on a dark summer night.
What is the 30 30 rule for lightning?
Don’t forget the 30-30 rule. After you see lightning, start counting to 30. If you hear thunder before you reach 30, go indoors. Suspend activities for at least 30 minutes after the last clap of thunder.
How close is too close 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.
Can there be lightning without rain?
Dry lightning is lightning that occurs without rain nearby. These lightning flashes have been documented to travel several miles away from the thunderstorm cloud. They can be especially dangerous because they appear to come from clear blue sky.
How loud is lightning up close?
A clap of thunder typically registers at about 120 dB in close proximity to the ground stroke. This is 10 times louder than a garbage truck or pneumatic jackhammer drill. By comparison, sitting in front of speakers at a rock concert can expose you to a continuous 120+ dB level.
Is it OK to have your AC on during thunderstorm?
Though it’s tempting to rely on your air conditioner, you shouldn’t run your unit during a thunderstorm. Not only does running your AC during a storm put your system at risk, but it can also put your safety at risk.
Should I unplug electronics during a thunderstorm?
Keep Your Computer Plugged In Anything that’s plugged into an outlet in your home is at risk of suffering damage from an electrical surge during thunderstorms. If an electrical storm has been forecast, unplug your computer, laptop, and other devices, and consider unplugging appliances.
How do you know if you’re about to be struck by lightning?
7 Signs That Lightning Is About to Strike You See Tall, Bright White Clouds. You Can Hear the Thunder Approaching. You See Your Hair Standing on End or Feel Tingling. You Taste Something Metallic. You Smell the Scent of Ozone in the Air. You Start to Get Dizzy or Sweat. You Can Hear Vibrating, Buzzing, or Crackling.
What is the lightning rule?
The 30-30 Rule is an easy way to determine the threat of lightning in your area: 30 Seconds: Count the seconds between seeing lightning and hearing thunder. If this time is less than 30 seconds, lightning is a threat. 30 Minutes: After hearing the last rumble of thunder, wait 30 minutes before leaving shelter.
How loud is lightning right next to you?
A clap of thunder typically registers at about 120 dB in close proximity to the ground stroke. This is 10 times louder than a garbage truck or pneumatic jackhammer drill. By comparison, sitting in front of speakers at a rock concert can expose you to a continuous 120+ dB level.
What does it sound like when lightning hits your house?
You will hear a loud and powerful “boom” like you would with most lightning strikes, but this one will be memorable and will shake your home. If your house or yard was hit, there may be a continuous buzzing or hissing sound following the strike. These can damage wiring and appliances in your home.
Why is thunder so loud?
A big noise Why is thunder so loud? It’s because the amount of electrical energy that flows from the cloud to the ground is so enormous: it’s like a very big waterfall of electricity. The louder the sound that you hear, the closer you are to the lightning. Light travels through air much faster than sound.
Does lightning make noise?
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. This rapid expansion and contraction creates the sound wave that we hear as thunder.
What is red lightning?
Sprites, also known as red lightning, are electrical discharges that appear as bursts of red light above clouds during thunderstorms. The researchers hope to learn more about the physical and chemical processes that give rise to sprites and other forms of upper atmospheric lightning.
Can you be blinded by lightning?
Flash blindness is an either temporary or permanent visual impairment during and following exposure of a varying length of time to a light flash of extremely high intensity, such as a nuclear explosion, flash photograph, lightning strike, or extremely bright light, i.e. a searchlight or laser pointer or landing lights.
What does it mean if you see lightning but don’t hear thunder?
If you see lightning but don’t hear thunder, it is because the thunder is too far away. What we see as a lightning strike actually comes from the ground up, according to NOAA. Typically, a cloud-to-ground flash lowers a path of (invisible) negative electricity towards the ground.
Can a lightning strike deafen you?
Most survivors of a lightning strike, however, experience long-term effects, including severe burns, brain damage, deafness, and memory loss.
