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In an average climate and average elevation, each second that passes between seeing the lightening and the sound reaching your ears indicates a rough distance of 1100 feet. We operate in an area that is thick with summer thunder storms. Our rule of thumb is that we start counting when we see the lightening and if we hear the sound before we reach 25 (a little over five miles), we pull the kids immediately.
We do not fool around with lightening. At least three people are struck each year by lightening in this area and few survive.
If a coach protests we are being overly cautious, I tell him the alternative is for him to stand in center field holding a metal bat high over his head and let us know when the lightening is close enough to vacate the field.
I haven't had any takers yet.
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