Uploaded April 2021 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Extreme heat from lightning creates a sound shockwave that spreads out to reach you as thunder, but it takes the sound of thunder 5 seconds to travel a mile. What makes the different sounds of thunder? It depends on how many branches lightning has, in which ways they are stretched out, how far each one extends, and how strong they may be. Lightning with many branches makes sound, from many different directions, reaching you at different times, making the rumble last longer. All parts of all the lightning branches create shock waves so there are numerous sources of sound, that can also add to each other. When lightning flickers, each flicker creates entire new sets of sounds. Add all of that up for an unlimited number of crackles, rumbles, rolls, and booms from thunderstorms.
Meteorologist Alan Sealls
Facebook: AlanSeallsWeather
Twitter: @AlanSealls
Instagram: @AlanSealls
Web: alansealls.com
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Sealls
More educational science and weather videos for k-12 and even college level by subscription here weatherthings.com/TeacherVideos
Extreme heat from lightning creates a sound shockwave that spreads out to reach you as thunder, but it takes the sound of thunder 5 seconds to travel a mile. What makes the different sounds of thunder? It depends on how many branches lightning has, in which ways they are stretched out, how far each one extends, and how strong they may be. Lightning with many branches makes sound, from many different directions, reaching you at different times, making the rumble last longer. All parts of all the lightning branches create shock waves so there are numerous sources of sound, that can also add to each other. When lightning flickers, each flicker creates entire new sets of sounds. Add all of that up for an unlimited number of crackles, rumbles, rolls, and booms from thunderstorms.
Meteorologist Alan Sealls
Facebook: AlanSeallsWeather
Twitter: @AlanSealls
Instagram: @AlanSealls
Web: alansealls.com
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Sealls
More educational science and weather videos for k-12 and even college level by subscription here weatherthings.com/TeacherVideos
