Hey Everyone,
Did anyone else feel like last night’s thunderstorm was sitting directly on top of the house?
Along with some welcome rain, we had plenty of thunder and lightning—and a few booms powerful enough to shake the walls!
You really can estimate how far away lightning is by counting the seconds between the flash and the thunder. Sound travels about one mile every five seconds, so simply divide your count by five:
- 5 seconds = about 1 mile away
- 10 seconds = about 2 miles
- 20 seconds = about 4 miles
It’s a reasonably accurate estimate, although wind, temperature and echoes can affect it slightly. If you hear thunder almost immediately, the lightning is extremely close. And remember: if you can hear thunder at all, you’re close enough to be struck, so it’s time to head indoors.
Despite some dramatic storms lately, Phoenix’s monsoon has actually been fairly dry overall. Before last night, Sky Harbor had recorded approximately 0.65 inches of monsoon rain, compared with the normal 1.45 inches by this point in the season. Our northern Valley neighborhoods have done better in spots, including more than 0.40 inches in Cave Creek and 0.50 inches in Carefree during one July storm alone.
It’s another reminder that Arizona’s monsoon rainfall can be incredibly uneven—one neighborhood gets soaked while another barely gets enough rain to dirty the windshield!
Have a great weekend!
Your Foothills Chiropractic Team
PS: We open at 8am Friday and can help with that neck or back pain before the weekend starts. Call 480-488-1282 to schedule, or just walk in.