During a recent thunderstorm in an urban area, I saw lightning strike within about half a mile, estimated as such because I heard the thunder about 2 seconds after I saw the strike. What surprised me was that I heard an electrical-sounding bzzzzt that was simultaneous with the strike, and lasted for the fraction of a second that the bolt was visible. This sound could not have come from the lightning bolt itself, as I heard it well before the thunder.
There are power lines not far outside my window. Did the lightning strike send a surge through the grid from half a mile away that was heard at my house? This is about the only explanation I can think of for the timing of the sound. If it did, what actually causes that bzzzt noise?
Best Answer
What you heard was probably due to nearby static discharges that were triggered by the lightning strike. The E&M field during a thunderstorm is very complex and sudden changes travel at $c$ so objects can produce static discharges before the sound of thunder arrives. I was standing on a wooden deck with a metal handrail once when a nearby lightning strike occurred and heard a buzz coming from the handrail prior to the thunder.