Why is some thunder longer than others?
In: 57
It really depends on the distance to the lightning strike, length and duration of the strike, and shape of the terrain. The high frequencies weaken faster than low frequencies, so distant thunder sounds lower-pitched. As other comments have said, you’ll hear the sound from different parts of the strike at different times, so the sound from a long bolt will last longer overall when it reaches your ears. The shape of the ground and the amount of cloud cover all generate echos, further stretching out the sound of the thunderclap into a longer, low roll. MinuteEarth did a great (https://youtu.be/D3_w2sUPItY) about this last fall. Check it out!
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