Trending Now - Loud Boom Across Ohio Linked to Meteor's Dramatic Entry
WHO:
National Weather Service (NWS) in Cleveland
Jeff Tanchak, meteorologist at WOIO
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
National Weather Service (NWS)
Jeff Tanchak, meteorologist at WOIO
American Meteor Society
WHAT:
The meteor was identified as a small asteroid nearly 6 feet in diameter and weighing about 7 tons.
The meteor moved southeast at 45,000 mph before fragmenting over Valley City, Ohio.
NASA reported that fragments of the meteor continued south, producing meteorites in the vicinity of Medina County, Ohio.
The sonic boom created by the meteor was produced at speeds over 25,000 mph.
The National Weather Service (NWS) confirmed that the boom was likely caused by a meteor breaking the sound barrier.
The NWS stated that more details about the meteor were not immediately available.
The American Meteor Society has not commented on the sighting yet.
The National Weather Service (NWS) stated that the boom was likely "a result of a meteor."
Residents reported fearing the sound was an explosion; one individual mentioned that the boom "shook their whole house."
The NWS shared a photo of the geostationary lightning mapper detecting a green flash over Cleveland.
Residents reported that the boom shook their houses.
The NWS in Pittsburgh shared a video of the meteor arcing across the sky, taken by an employee.
The NWS indicated that the imagery "does suggest that the boom was a result of a meteor."
A loud boom was heard across Cleveland, likely caused by a meteor.
The NWS indicated that imagery suggests the boom was a result of a meteor.
The boom was heard as far as New York and Pennsylvania.
A geostationary lightning mapper detected a meteor causing the sound.
Other meteors have been seen in Ohio's skies in recent weeks, including one spotted on a doorbell camera around 11:30 p.m. on February 15th and another fireball caught on camera on March 15th.
WHERE:
Cleveland, Ohio
New York
Pennsylvania
WHEN:
The meteor entered the atmosphere at about 9:00 a.m. local time on March 17th, 2026.
The meteor was first visible above Lake Erie, according to NASA.
The NWS confirmed the boom occurred on March 17th, 2026, in the morning.
The boom occurred on March 17th, 2026.
The meteor was spotted on February 15th, 2026, at 11:30 p.m.
Another fireball was reported on March 15th, 2026.
WHY:
Brian Mitchell, an NWS meteorologist, stated, “There could be some small fragments, but a lot of it would have burned up in the atmosphere.”
Jeff Tanchak, a meteorologist at WOIO, indicated that the boom occurred when the meteor broke the sound barrier, but the exact time of the meteor's entry into the atmosphere remains unclear.
The boom was likely caused by the meteor breaking the sound barrier.
HOW:
The meteor was spotted by space satellites around 9:00 a.m. ET and seen by human eyes about one hour later.
The NWS shared a photo of the geostationary lightning mapper detecting a green flash over Cleveland.
The geostationary lightning mapper is used to continuously map lightning strikes and can also identify meteors, which flash similarly to lightning.
The NWS used a geostationary lightning mapper to detect the meteor, which identifies quick flashes in the atmosphere similar to lightning.
(UPDATED March 17, 2026 23:10 UTC)
This morning, a small asteroid nearly 6 feet in diameter and weighing about 7 tons entered the atmosphere, first becoming visible above Lake Erie around 9:00 a.m. local time before fragmenting over Valley City, Ohio. NASA reported that the meteor was traveling southeast at an astonishing 45,000 miles per hour, creating a sonic boom as it broke apart, with fragments landing in Medina County. According to meteorologist Brian Mitchell, while some small pieces may have survived, much of the meteor likely burned up during its descent.
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(UPDATED March 17, 2026 21:10 UTC)
Last night, the National Weather Service confirmed that a loud boom heard over Cleveland was likely caused by a meteor breaking the sound barrier. They also shared a photo from the geostationary lightning mapper that captured a green flash associated with the event, although more details about the meteor are not yet available. As of now, the American Meteor Society has not commented on the sighting.
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(UPDATED March 17, 2026 19:25 UTC)
This morning, residents in Cleveland experienced a loud boom that many initially feared was an explosion, but the National Weather Service later confirmed it was likely caused by a meteor. The NWS shared a striking photo from their geostationary lightning mapper showing a green flash over the city at the time of the event. Meteorologist Jeff Tanchak noted that the boom occurred when the meteor broke the sound barrier, although the exact moment it entered the atmosphere is still unknown.
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(UPDATED March 17, 2026 17:24 UTC)
Residents in the Cleveland area reported that a loud boom shook their houses, prompting the National Weather Service to investigate. A video shared by the NWS in Pittsburgh, captured by one of their employees, shows a meteor arcing across the sky, and they indicated that this imagery suggests the boom was indeed caused by the meteor. The geostationary lightning mapper, which is typically used to track lightning strikes, also identified the meteor, as it flashes in a similar manner.
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(UPDATED March 17, 2026 15:23 UTC)
A loud boom was heard across Cleveland today, likely caused by a meteor breaking the sound barrier, with reports of the sound reaching as far as New York and Pennsylvania. The National Weather Service confirmed that imagery from a geostationary lightning mapper detected the meteor, which follows a series of recent sightings in Ohio, including a fireball caught on camera just two days ago. Meteorologist Jeff Tanchak from WOIO noted that other meteors have also been seen in the skies over Ohio, including one spotted on a doorbell camera last month.