Found this on the net today. After the thunderstorms that blew through the Wednesday league at Beaver in June, Justin and I were talking about how you can tell how far away a storm is. Here's what I found today.

You can tell the distance of a storm by counting

Fact: Surprisingly, that old childhood trick you learned is based on fact, not fiction. Light travels faster than sound so lightning is seen before thunder is heard.

Here's how it works according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency website: "You can estimate how many miles away a storm is by counting the number of seconds between the flash of lightning and the clap of thunder. Divide the number of seconds by five to get the distance in miles."


The article also mentioned that nearly 60 people are killed each year by lightening strikes. Being on a disc golf course with 18 lightening rods, this is some good info to use whether to call play or head for shelter.

Just my humble take on things....

I hope nobody is still baggin on you for running like a little girl when it started to sprinkle out there. Just kidding. I knew you could measure the distance by counting the seconds but did not know the formula. So this would mean 10 seconds = 2 miles.

Thanks for the insight, Paul. That's a very interesting factoid. I'll tell you I was there that night at the Beave and this girl ran like a girl for the nearest shelter which was the ladies room and hunkered down with a bunch of the guys. LOL good time. It should have been called in for everyone's safety. Anyone remember the time at JD years ago when that crazy storm rolled in? Ran like a girl then too!

The girls softball league I'm involved in, (lancaster depew ponytails) If you don't get to a count of 20 after the lightening, before hearing the thunder, we have to pull them off and have 20 mins of lightening free to send them out.

Conrad you play girls softball?

No, he just watches from the comfort of his panel van.

Justin,

Way to crunch those numbers : )

Did you go to Lew-Port like me? lol

my daughter timmy, served on the board of directors as division coordinator for 3 or 4 seasons, and I coach every year. seems you have the perv MO down just a
little to much there mr. campbell.

No, he just watches from the comfort of his panel van.

LOL!!!! lol!!!!!


sorry conrad!

O.o
O.o
O.O
I am not saying a Word The Conrad....

Sorry Conrad. I forgot, you don't have a panel van...

all good fellas, someday I'll figure out how to shut off the big neon "bust my chops"
light that appears to hover near me. ;)

You can't, a switch was never wired in and the maytag repair man is never far away.

Heaven Forbid

no worries william, you don't need it to bust my or anybody's else s chops. :}