If you count the seconds between the flash and the bang, you can tell how far away the storm is! Every five seconds you count equals about one mile of distance.

So, the next time you see a storm, remember: it’s just the clouds' way of balancing out their energy with a giant, noisy "high-five."

When that connection happens— ZAP! —a giant spark of electricity shoots through the air. That is . Lightning is incredibly hot—even hotter than the surface of the sun! The Boom: Thunder