SESKStuff Everyone Should Know
SESK: Stuff Everyone Should Know · sesk.info/thunder-five-seconds-mile

You see lightning, then count 10 seconds until thunder. About how far away was it?

About 2 miles. Every 5 seconds is about 1 mile.

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The Just Right card

Too littleZero seconds, ignore it
Too muchEach second is a whole mile
Just rightDivide the seconds by 5 for miles

Huh, didn't know that: Thunder can only be heard about 10 miles from the strike, and lightning can reach that far too.

The dad joke
What's the difference between weather and climate? You can't weather a tree, but you can climate.
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References

Answer: About 2 miles. Light reaches you right away, but thunder's sound takes about 5 seconds to go a mile. Divide the seconds by 5. If you can hear thunder, head indoors.

  1. National Weather Service: Understanding Lightning: Thunder www.weather.gov/safety/lightning-science-thunder
    it takes the sound of thunder about 5 seconds to travel a mile, you can calculate the distance between you and the lightning.
    Checked 2026-10-09.

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