DENVER (KDVR) – There is a simple equation that can be used to calculate how far away lightning is from your location. Knowing this equation could help keep you safer during storm season.
To calculate how far away lightning is you can count the number of seconds between seeing a flash of lightning and hearing thunder and then divide that number by 5. That will equal how many miles away the lightning is from your location.
In the example below, the sound of thunder happened 5 seconds after seeing the flash of lightning meaning that the house is about 1 mile away from the lightning.
When calculating this, make sure you are in a safe place inside or in your car away from the storm.
Keep in mind that lightning can strike up to 10 miles away from its original location so if you can hear thunder, typically, lightning is close enough to strike.
“When thunder roars, head indoors” is both a good saying and a solid reminder of how to act during a storm.
Sound dissipates as it travels further away from the source, so once you are over 10 miles away from a storm you might stop hearing the sound of thunder. This is called heat lightning.