Topic: Strange thunder question....

[AdamGH]

About 4 years ago we were living in NC and during a late night storm I was on the rear porch and saw a 3 fork lightning strike about 1/2 mile from our home. The thunder that followed was very very strange.  It wasn't a rolling noise and it did not have the crack that most thunder has.... it was 4 booms very close together then a it sounded like a very large snare drum.   Has anyone heard that before or know anything about it?  Three of my neighbors heard it and we all talked about for a few days afterwards.   To this day I am still like   

[ocala]

Sounds like you had to be there for that one.
Maybe John Bonham and Keith Moon got bored and decided to have some fun.

[StormChase Group]

I have heard thunder like that before. I think its cool the different sounds thunder makes.

[blackjack52]

As the percussion (from the 27,000F lighting exploding air) travels, it passes through "clear" air, clouds, rain, etc, causing changes in freq and arrival times to your ear.

[HailHunter]

I have heard thunder like that. In fact, I have heard some almost identical to that. It started out as rolling thunder, followed by the sound of four or five "bass drum" style booms, before the standard violent crack that would normally be associated with a nearby lightning strike. Can't tell you what does it like that, but I can tell you that you and your neighbors were not just "hearing things."