Thunder Sound Clips
These are actual, unedited recordings in MP3 or RealAudio format of thunder made during lightning photography sessions in West Virginia. All of the recordings were made with a simple Panasonic mono tape recorder (at right).You'll need RealPlayer 8 or Windows Media Player, Winamp, or any MP3-capable player to listen.
Cloud-to-ground flash (MP3, 118KB): April 11, 1999 - distance: about 1/2 mile away. (Click at the end of the clip is the camera shutter opening) Crackling branch thunder is followed by a crash from the main channel.
Cloud-to-ground flash (MP3, 79KB): June 29, 1998 - distance: less than 1 mile - NOTE: 'crackling' sound from branches before main channel thunder- (the faint click toward the end of this sound clip is my camera shutter closing- the bright lightning flash (out of the frame to the left) that produced this thunder fully exposed the film, so I had to advance to the next frame)
Cloud-to-ground flash (MP3, 40KB): June 29, 1998 - distance: 1 mile - NOTE: 'crackling' sound from branches before main channel thunder
Cloud-to-ground flash (MP3, 81KB): June 29, 1998 - distance: 2 miles - (see the lightning bolt that produced this thunder)
*CLOSE* Cloud-to-ground flash (MP3, 122KB): June 29, 1998 - distance: around 500 feet away (Camera pointing opposite direction) Also, note thunder (boom) from second main channel 2 miles away following initial thunder. This second bolt flashed simultaneously with the close one.
Close Cloud-to-ground flash (MP3, 92KB): August 10, 1998 - thunder from distant cloud-to-ground flash followed by CG flash 1000-1500 feet away (Again, lightning behind camera)
CG about 1.5 miles away (MP3, 50KB): August 10, 1998
Cloud-to-ground flashes (MP3, 131KB): April 11, 1999: (pictured here) distance: less than 1 mile, 2 miles (clicking in photo is camera shutter opening and closing)
*CLOSE* Cloud-to-Ground flash (less than 100 feet away) (MP3, 69KB): July 30, 1999: The closest I've been to a lightning flash. (missed this one with the camera)
Cloud-to-ground strikes (RA, 450KB): May 15, 2001: Several crashes of thunder precede a sudden bang from a close strike near Wallback, WV. Clicking/clanking noise from tripod is audible, along with noise from interstate traffic.
Tower strike (MP3, 46KB): August 11, 1999: Thunder from a ground-to-cloud strike to a tower 1 mile away in Teays Valley, WV (pictured here).
Cloud-to-ground flash (MP3, 321KB): July 10, 2000: Thunder from a complex discharge involving anvil crawlers (heard first), followed by the connected cloud-to-ground channel (pictured here).
Cloud-to-ground flash (MP3, 282KB): July 10, 2000: Thunder from another complex discharge involving anvil crawlers (heard first), followed by the connected cloud-to-ground channel (pictured here).
Cloud-to-ground flash (MP3, 210KB): July 10, 2000: Thunder from a third complex discharge involving anvil crawlers (heard first), followed by the connected cloud-to-ground channel (pictured here).
Cloud-to-ground flash (MP3, 121KB): July 28, 2001: Thunder from a cloud-to-ground strike 1 mile away (view a video of the strike).
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