Trending Now - Increased Meteor Activity: Understanding the 'fireball Season
WHO:
The Seattle Times - Over 100 people in Washington, Oregon, and British Columbia reported seeing a “bright fireball.”
ABC News - Mike Hankey is the operations manager of the American Meteor Society (AMS).
WHAT:
The Seattle Times - The fireball sighting on March 30th, 2026, was the third sighting in Washington in March 2026.
The Seattle Times - The fireball traveled 43 miles northwest through the Earth’s atmosphere at 39,000 mph.
ABC News - There were about 2,046 individual reported meteor events in the first quarter of 2026.
ABC News - There were 38 events that involved 50 or more reports and 14 events that involved 100 or more reports in 2026.
ABC News - The event with the most reports occurred on March 8th, 2026, with 3,229 reports from a fireball over France, Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, and the Netherlands.
ABC News - 30 out of 38 events with 50 or more reports involved a sonic boom during the first three months of 2026.
WHERE:
The Seattle Times - The fireball became visible around 50 miles above Wilkeson and disintegrated 30 miles above Wauna in Pierce County, Washington.
ABC News - Meteors have been seen throughout the U.S., including Texas, Ohio, California, and Michigan.
ABC News - Fragments of meteors were recovered in Ohio and Texas.
WHEN:
The Seattle Times - The fireball sighting occurred on March 30th, 2026, at approximately 8:34 p.m.
ABC News - The peak "fireball season" typically runs from February through April.
ABC News - The March equinox occurred on March 20th, 2026.
ABC News - The surge in meteor sightings was most significant in March 2026.
WHY:
The Seattle Times - February through April is considered “peak fireball season” in the Northern Hemisphere, with sightings increasing by 10% to 30%.
ABC News - Some astronomers believe the Earth passes through more large debris during peak fireball season.
ABC News - The increase in reports may be attributed to the greater adoption of smartphones, doorbell, and dashboard cameras.
HOW:
The Seattle Times - Fireballs are caused by particles larger than typical meteors that superheat the air into glowing plasma as they travel through the atmosphere.
ABC News - Meteors occur when a meteoroid enters Earth's atmosphere and travels at hypersonic speeds, sometimes producing a sonic boom.
(UPDATED April 1, 2026 04:06 UTC)
on Monday, at approximately 8:34 p.m., over 100 people across Washington, Oregon, and British Columbia reported seeing a bright fireball that traveled 43 miles northwest through the atmosphere at an astonishing 39,000 miles per hour. This sighting marked the third fireball event in Washington for March, which has seen a significant surge in meteor sightings, with about 2,046 reported events in the first quarter of the year. Experts suggest that the increase in sightings during this peak fireball season may be due to the Earth passing through more large debris, along with the rise in the use of smartphones and cameras that capture these spectacular events.