PENNSYLVANIA (WJAC) — The National Weather Service in Pittsburgh says it has fielded numerous reports of a large fireball across parts of western Pennsylvania and eastern Ohio early Tuesday morning.
According to the NWS, satellite imagery suggests that it could have been a meteor entering the Earth’s atmosphere, which reportedly caused a “large boom.”
Officials believe that the fireball was primarily detected around the area of Cleveland, OH, although several 6 News viewers have reported witnessing it across parts of west-central Pa.
6 News reached out to officials at NASA’s ‘Meteoroid Environments Office’ who confirmed that the fireball is believed to be a meteorite.
NASA officials explained that when meteorites enter our atmosphere, the excessive speeds they are reaching — upwards of thousands of miles per hour — can create loud noises, including the ‘boom’ that many witnesses reported.
In a statement to 6 News, NASA also confirmed that the meteor was first visible at an altitude of 50 miles above Lake Erie.
Fireball travels across western PA and into eastern Ohio (Jared Rackley: NWS Pittsburgh)
According to NASA’s data, the meteor then reportedly moved south, at approximately 45,000 MPH.
Officials say the fireball — caused by a small asteroid — traveled roughly 34 miles before fragmenting some 30+ miles over Valley City, north of Medina.
NASA adds that the asteroid ‘unleashed’ the equivalent energy as 250 tons of TNT.
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Officials note that no injuries or structural damage have been reported, other than the houses/buildings that were rattled.