I think much depends on the shape of the lighting bolt and what it hits. I think I was near very vertical strikes, with the bulk of the noise projecting outwar

I think much depends on the shape of the lighting bolt and what it hits. I think I was near very vertical strikes, with the bulk of the noise projecting outwards rather than down towards the impact point. Once time the bolt hit flatish ground, the other a metal post, neither were objects that might explode to make their own noise.