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The news (KDRV) states today the way to measure distance of lightning strikes:

Using thunder & lightning, we can calculate our distance from thunderstorms. After seeing lightning, count the number of seconds until you hear the thunder. Take this number and divide by 5. The number you are left with is the number of miles away the storm is.

KDRV.http://www.kdrv.com/dry-thunderstorms-the-3030-rule/

This seems odd to me. A lot of times I hear relatively close thunder. Often times the count is 5 or 6. It's loud but not on top of me. How does this rule work? The old rule I grew up learning was the number of seconds between lightning and thunder was the estimated distance from where you are. This seems more accurate to me, as I might count two seconds and get thunder, and it seems off to the west or east a bit. What's this divide by 5 business? Using their method if I count 3 seconds and divide by 5, the lightning is .6 miles away from me. I don't think so. It sounds pretty damn loud, but .6 miles is down the street, and it sure doesn't sound that close. When I lived in Arizona, oh, lord, that was the land of thunderstorms, and let me tell you, when the thunderstrikes are striking 800 yards away, you're climbing under the damn dining room table. They shook the house.

The simple answer is that sound travels 5 miles in one second.

Your method assumes sound travels one mile in one second.