A meteor exploded off the coast of Massachusetts on Saturday afternoon, causing a loud boom heard throughout the state. This event occurred around 2:11 p.m. Eastern Time. Reports describe the sudden noise as strong enough to rattle windows, startle pets, and shake homes.
Dozens of phone calls flooded the WBZ-TV newsroom, with residents reporting an explosion heard from Boston to Ipswich and Johnston, Rhode Island. According to the American Meteor Society, the fireball was spotted by many across the Northeast around 2 p.m. on that day. Witnesses from several states helped scientists trace the meteor’s path through the atmosphere.
Data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) showed activity consistent with a meteor. The lightning data indicated entry into the atmosphere near Boston’s South Shore. Despite the dramatic impact, there are no reports of where the meteor actually landed.
Most meteors harmlessly burn up in the atmosphere. Larger ones, however, can create bright fireballs and sonic booms. NOAA’s data mapped the meteor’s atmospheric entry, explaining why a meteor can cause such noise.
Understanding the Sonic Boom
When meteors enter Earth’s atmosphere, they travel at speeds from 25,000 to 160,000 miles per hour. Typically, they are no larger than a pebble and disintegrate high above. Larger objects can sometimes survive the journey deeper into the atmosphere. These objects generate strong shock waves as they travel, similar to a supersonic aircraft. These waves can reach the ground as a sonic boom, which explains why the boom was heard even if the meteor wasn’t visible.
Meteor Activity in 2026
The Massachusetts event is part of a series of notable fireballs across North America in 2026. In March, a meteor over Ohio produced a sonic boom audible across multiple states. Shortly after, another in Texas created a shock wave and scattered debris, with a piece reportedly damaging a home near Houston.
The American Meteor Society has observed an unusual rise in large fireball events this year. Notably, the Massachusetts incident came a day after South Carolina residents reported a similar loud blast, initially thought to be an earthquake. The U.S. Geological Survey later identified the South Carolina event as a sonic boom, though the source remains unknown.
Experts emphasize that there is no current impact threat to Earth from these meteor events.