at a few minutes past 2:00 ... I heard what I'm pretty sure were three or four gunshots. I still don't have a good feel for how far that particular sound carries in the city
I've noticed traffic sounds carrying farther in the winter than the summer. At my previous residence I attributed this to the vegetation -- lots of trees, with the leaves gone in the winter. I expect that the summer/winter temperature difference would affect the air density enough to also be a factor. I'm not sure why, but I think the sound would travel better in the denser winter air, but I will gladly defer to someone better versed in physics and/or acoustics. (Humidity's probably a factor too.)
sound propagation
I've noticed traffic sounds carrying farther in the winter than the summer. At my previous residence I attributed this to the vegetation -- lots of trees, with the leaves gone in the winter.
I expect that the summer/winter temperature difference would affect the air density enough to also be a factor. I'm not sure why, but I think the sound would travel better in the denser winter air, but I will gladly defer to someone better versed in physics and/or acoustics. (Humidity's probably a factor too.)