Dear Tom,Peals of thunder have always fascinated me. Some are brief, like a sudden crash. Sometimes thunder rolls and rumbles for 10 or 20 seconds. What causes the difference?John Hannessey, Rockfo… ...

What causes thunder? Without lightning, there is no thunder. Thunder is simply the sound created by a bolt of lightning. When lightning occurs, it's about 50,000 degrees Fahrenheit.

The time between lightning and thunder varies depending on your distance from the storm because light travels faster than sound. Beat the heat: What is a heat wave and what causes it?

Rolling thunder takes advantage of an inversion, or layer of warm air between a layer of cooler air to trap sound. Typically, temperatures fall as you travel from the ground to the atmosphere.

Thunder and lightning are summer staples, but they can happen all year round. Here's a quick science lesson on how thunder, lightning and storms form.

So 15 seconds would be 3 miles, while 0 seconds indicates the strike is very close. What causes thunder? Thunder is the sound made when air explodes outward from a lightning strike.

What causes thunder and lightning? According to the Met Office, “thunderstorms develop when the atmosphere is unstable” which happens when “warm air exists underneath much colder air”.

Thunder and lightning are summer staples, but they can happen all year round. Here's a quick science lesson on how thunder, lightning and storms form.

What causes thunder and lightning? According to the Met Office, “thunderstorms develop when the atmosphere is unstable” which happens when “warm air exists underneath much colder air”.

What causes thunder? The Met Office says that the rapid expansion and heating of air caused by lightning produces the accompanying loud clap of thunder.