Can Lightening and Thunder Be "Mild"?

Question

Yesterday my husband was in the Cascade foothills northeast of Seattle when he saw a faint flash and almost the same time a soft thunder like rumble. Farther to the south in Seattle and its eastern suburbs a wild thunderstorm was shaking things up at the same time my hubby was at the campground.

Can lightening and thunder be "mild" as opposed to wild?

Weather experts, please chime in!

Answer 1

No that just comes down to distance traveled by the sound waves and loss of energy, sound is particularly loud when your nears its source you hear its true volume its like the sounds difference between turning a speaker full blast next to your ear and turn one full blast as you stand 100 meter's away one is significantly less painful, thunder always is just as loud where it hits and loses its energy the further it has to travel