Find a story for tonight · Scared of storms
Count the thunder: the number that tells a child the storm is leaving
The National Weather Service says thunder takes about 5 seconds to travel a mile. So when the count between flash and boom gets longer, the storm is moving away, and a child can hear it happen.
The Little Light who knows this feeling: Pip.
Try this tonight
- When you see a flash, start counting slowly: one, two, three.
- Stop when you hear the thunder, and say the number out loud.
- Next flash, count again. Is the number bigger? Then the storm is moving away.
- Snuggle in and listen for the counts to get longer.
Why it works
“If you count the number of seconds between the flash of lightning and the sound of thunder, and then divide by 5, you’ll get the distance in miles to the lightning.” 5 seconds = 1 mile, 15 seconds = 3 miles.
In Pip Counts the Thunder the counts go up as the storm passes. A count that climbs from 5 to 15 means the lightning went from about 1 mile to about 3 miles away.
So: Count out loud together after every flash, and say the number back: “Seven. It was five last time.” The rising number is the comfort.
If you skip it: Without a count, every rumble sounds like the same storm, right overhead, all night.
What the source doesn’t say
The count is for feeling safe indoors. It is not a rule for when it’s safe to go outside. For that, follow the National Weather Service’s own safety advice on the same page.
