# Thunder, as in "Thunder Storms"
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thunder-as-in-thunder-storms/198972
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [September 1, 2003, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thunder-as-in-thunder-storms/198972 "2003-09-01T15:35:26Z")
**Posts on this page:** 5
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@JimBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JimBob)
#### Post date: [September 1, 2003, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thunder-as-in-thunder-storms/198972/1 "2003-09-01T15:35:26Z")
☹ My son Matt has lived in Japan, near Tokyo, for about ten years. He has told me that one of the things that he misses is the thunder when it storms in Japan. Of course, here in the midwest as most of the U.S. we expect to hear thunder with the storm. So, the question is: Why is there an absence of thunder when it storms in Japan? I appreciate the enlightenment that any of you can provide. Thanks, JimBob.
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### Author:  [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)
#### Post date: [September 1, 2003, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thunder-as-in-thunder-storms/198972/2 "2003-09-01T23:32:00Z")
He must just have missed them…
> [@](#):
>
> As I write, the greater Tokyo area is being treated to probably the most spectacular thunder and lightning show I’ve ever seen. Well, I said “treated” but I suspect I’m one of the few who’s actually enjoying it. Certainly our dog and cat are not. Too bad however that there’s still horendous humidity outside which is keeping me from enjoying the show from a position outside on the veranda. On further thought, with all the various hanabi (fireworks) shows this summer, this may be the gods’ attempt to get in on the action and show who’s really boss of the skies.
[http://www.easterwood.org/hmmn/archives/000097.html](http://www.easterwood.org/hmmn/archives/000097.html)
On this page…
[http://www.zone81.com/arch\_sections/weather](http://www.zone81.com/arch_sections/weather)
They have a symbol for thunderstorm. So I would guess that means they do occur.
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### Author:  [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)
#### Post date: [September 2, 2003, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thunder-as-in-thunder-storms/198972/3 "2003-09-02T04:56:29Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by JimBob \*
> \*\*☹ My son Matt has lived in Japan, near Tokyo, for about ten years. He has told me that one of the things that he misses is the thunder when it storms in Japan. Of course, here in the midwest as most of the U.S. we expect to hear thunder with the storm. So, the question is: Why is there an absence of thunder when it storms in Japan? I appreciate the enlightenment that any of you can provide. Thanks, JimBob. \*\*
If he lived in parts of California he would say the same thing. There are not all that many thunderstorms in the Los Angeles basin, for example, although they do occur. The central valley is also not noted for thunderstorms, although again, they to occur.
In a lot of the state the rain cusomarily comes from stratus clouds and just falls without a lot of fuss.
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### Author:  [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)
#### Post date: [September 2, 2003, 7:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thunder-as-in-thunder-storms/198972/4 "2003-09-02T07:15:07Z")
Thunder in any form, whether accompanying a storm or just a rumble in summer clouds, is exceedingly rare here on the Kenai Peninsula in Alaska. On the odd occasion when it does occur, everybody looks around with wide eyes, as if the sky was about to fall.
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### Author:  [@Martiju](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martiju)
#### Post date: [September 2, 2003, 10:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thunder-as-in-thunder-storms/198972/5 "2003-09-02T10:43:49Z")
And, just for the record, here in the UK we only get thunderstorms relatively rarely (2 or 3 times a year in the South West I’d say) compared to the storms that gather near daily, in my admittedly limited experience, in Florida or Alabama.
I guess we don’t get the humidity, etc required.