Audibility Of Thunder

[Weather-history]

A letter by A. F. Harrison of 36 Rosemont Road, Richmond, Surrey (28th August 1929)

"Between 3 and 4am (BST), August 28th, I observed flashes of lightning from a southeast point and was somewhat surprised to notice that an interval of 110 seconds elapsed between flash and peal. The thunder, though soft and low, was distinct and the bright moonlight played upon an anvil-shaped cumulonimbus cloud, the upper portion of which appeared above the southeast horizon. This cloud moved very quickly northeast. A second storm following gave a time interval of 90 seconds between lightning and thunder. The night was unusually calm and still for a London suburb"

Assuming the speed of sound as 343m/s that would make a distance of about 37.7km or 23.4 miles away placing the cumulonimbus cloud in the Sevenoaks/Tonbridge area at the time

[Harry]

A letter by A. F. Harrison of 36 Rosemont Road, Richmond, Surrey (28th August 1929)

"Between 3 and 4am (BST), August 28th, I observed flashes of lightning from a southeast point and was somewhat surprised to notice that an interval of 110 seconds elapsed between flash and peal. The thunder, though soft and low, was distinct and the bright moonlight played upon an anvil-shaped cumulonimbus cloud, the upper portion of which appeared above the southeast horizon. This cloud moved very quickly northeast. A second storm following gave a time interval of 90 seconds between lightning and thunder. The night was unusually calm and still for a London suburb"

Assuming the speed of sound as 343m/s that would make a distance of about 37.7km or 23.4 miles away placing the cumulonimbus cloud in the Sevenoaks/Tonbridge area at the time

That's quite an impressive distance to be hearing thunder IMO. I saw a storm last November over the channel - merely the top over the Cb/Anvil peered over the horizon, producing lightning bright enough to illuminate the house and in particular the bedroom with the blinds down. Alas, no thunder!

Interesting post though Mr_Data

[ZONE 51]

is it fact that the deeper the thunder the longer distance it can be heard, rather then high cracks?