No, not a cop out at all. In fact, that's exactly how I chose to enjoy the terrifying chill of those slow, thunderous sounds.

At first I just thought it was part of the soundtrack, but it appears that the characters are hearing and reacting to the sounds as well. That's the only reason I asked.

Interesting that in the American version the ambiguity of the typhoon is taken away by the insertion of Godzilla's roars.

I much prefer the Japanese ambiguity (although doesn't a character in the Japanese version say "it was a monster" after the house is destroyed in the typhoon? Maybe he could have meant the typhoon was a monster!).

Anyway, I am haunted by Gojira. I really liked it a lot.