What Makes That Loud Boom in the Sky

When it rains and the sky goes boom, that sound is called thunder. Thunder happens because of lightning, which is a sudden flash of electricity in the sky. Lightning is super hot or hotter than the surface of the sun! It heats up the air around it very fast. When the air gets hot so quickly, it expands and then crashes back together, making that loud sound we call thunder.

Why Thunder Comes After Lightning

So, the sky doesn’t really “talk,” but it does react to the lightning. That’s why we often hear thunder after we see a lightning flash. The light travels faster than sound, so our eyes see the flash before our ears hear the boom. And yes, it can still thunder even if it’s not raining right where you are, it means the storm is nearby.

Can thunder hurt you?

Thunder itself can’t hurt you, it’s just sound. But the lightning that causes thunder can be dangerous, so it’s safest to stay indoors during a thunderstorm.

Why does thunder sometimes sound loud and sometimes soft?

The closer the lightning is to you, the louder the thunder sounds. If it’s far away, the thunder is softer or more of a rumble.