I often wonder why in some thunderstorms, lightning can be hitting even 20km's away, yet the ground can shake and it sounds like it was only a few km's away
YET,
some thunderstorms (the bulk of them these days it seems) can have lightning hitting within 1 to 2 seconds away, yet all you hear is a very mild rumble or crackle that sounds like it was a looong way away?
I guess it is to do with the atmospherics a fair bit and perhaps the geology of the ground its hitting, the landscape etc. When i used to live in the country we used to constantly get earth shaking thunder where the windows would rattle, plates in the cupboard would clink etc. We would also get absolutely deafening type thunder which you just dont seem to get so much in storms here in boronia. I used to always think that being nearer to the hills i would get louder thunder as it hit the hills.
Also, why is it sometimes lightning can strike a few houses down and only make a slight "fizz and pop" (you wouldnt even bat an eyelid at) but no actual real "thunder" noise?? - yet some are absolutely deafening and terrifying!!??
the wonders of storms!