Thunder is caused by lightning
. When a lightning bolt travels from the cloud to the ground it actually opens up a little hole in the air, called a channel. Once then light is gone the air collapses back in and creates a sound wave that we hear as thunder.
Why do lightning storms have no 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.
Why do storms produce thunder and lightning?
Often lightning occurs between clouds or inside a cloud. … As the storm moves over the ground, the
strong negative charge in the cloud attracts positive charges in the ground
. These positive charges move up into the tallest objects like trees, telephone poles, and houses.
What attracts lightning to a person?
Myth: Structures with metal, or metal on the body (jewelry, cell phones,Mp3 players, watches, etc), attract lightning. Fact:
Height, pointy shape, and isolation
are the dominant factors controlling where a lightning bolt will strike. The presence of metal makes absolutely no difference on where lightning strikes.
What is the 30 30 Rule of lightning?
When You See Lightning, Count The Time Until You Hear Thunder. If That Is 30 Seconds
Or Less, The Thunderstorm Is Close Enough To Be Dangerous – Seek Shelter
(if you can't see the lightning, just hearing the thunder is a good back-up rule). Wait 30 Minutes Or More After The Lightning Flash Before Leaving Shelter.
Why is the lightning not stopping?
Non-stop lighting is believed by some to be generated from hot and humid conditions alone, but this is false. The truth is, you are
simply too far away from the storm itself to hear any thunder
.
Is lightning hotter than the sun?
Air is a very poor conductor of electricity and gets extremely hot when lightning passes through it. In fact, lightning can heat the air it passes through to 50,000 degrees Fahrenheit (
5 times hotter than the surface of the sun
).
Can you swim during heat lightning?
A: Swimming during a thunderstorm is one of the most dangerous things you can do. Lightning regularly strikes water, and since water conducts electricity, a nearby lightning strike could kill or injure you. … To be really safe,
you should not swim in an indoor pool when lightning is around
.
What are 5 safety tips for lightning?
- Immediately get off elevated areas such as hills, mountain ridges, or peaks.
- Never lie flat on the ground. …
- Never shelter under an isolated tree.
- Never use a cliff or rocky overhang for shelter.
- Immediately get out of and away from ponds, lakes, and other bodies of water.
What should you not do during a lightning storm?
Do NOT bathe, shower, wash dishes
, or have any other contact with water during a thunderstorm because lightning can travel through a building's plumbing. Do NOT use your computers, laptops, game systems, washers, dryers, stoves, or anything connected to an electrical outlet.
Where is the safest place to be during a lightning storm?
A car or other enclosed metal structure
is the safest place to be in a thunderstorm. Failing that, a ditch, trench or group of shrubs of uniform height is better than nothing. Keep away from boundary areas between dissimilar terrain (water and land; rock and earth; trees and fields).
Is it safe to stand near a window during a thunderstorm?
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.
Don't stand near a window to watch the lightning
.
Should you use a cell phone during a thunderstorm?
Because the danger comes from lightning traveling through outdoor wiring,
cordless and cellular phones are generally safe
. Use them outside during a storm, however, and they become a hazard like any other metal object.
Can you get struck by lightning through a window?
Lightning can jump through windows
, so keep your distance from them during storms! The second way lightning can enter a building is through pipes or wires. If the lightning strikes utility infrastructure, it can travel through those pipes or wires and enter your home that way.
Is Red lightning real?
Yes,
red lighting or red sprite is real
. However, it is not so common as usual lighting bolts, and it is not easy to observe or film. … Due to the elusive nature (very difficult to observe and short-lived) of these electrical discharges, they are also called sprites, after the fairy-like creatures in European mythology.
Is continuous lightning normal?
Understanding Lightning: Continuing Current/Hot Lightning
Rather than charge flowing in one or more separate return strokes,
charge flows continuously over
a longer period of time through the lightning channel (Figure2). … Flashes which contain both return strokes and continuing current are also common.
