A massive meteor weighing around seven tonnes streaked across the sky over Cleveland on Tuesday morning, startling residents with a loud boom as it broke apart in the atmosphere. The meteor was travelling at nearly 72,420 kilometres per hour when it entered Earth’s atmosphere at about 9 am.
Despite the daylight, the bright fireball was visible across several states, with sightings reported from Wisconsin to Maryland, according to the American Meteor Society.
NASA confirms size and impact
The NASA later confirmed that the object was around 1.83 metres in diameter. It was first spotted roughly 80 kilometres above Lake Erie near Lorain, before travelling over 55 kilometres through the upper atmosphere and fragmenting near Valley City. Bill Cooke, who heads NASA’s Meteoroid Environments Office, said the meteor released energy equivalent to 250 tonnes of TNT when it broke apart, creating a powerful sonic boom.
No immediate reports of damage
The explosion was heard and felt by staff at the National Weather Service office in Cleveland. However, there were no early reports of damage or debris. Meteorologist Brian Mitchell said some small fragments might have survived, but most of the object likely burned up before reaching the ground.
One of our employees, Jared Rackley, caught this morning’s meteor on camera from the Pittsburgh area. pic.twitter.com/2LdqOpChti
— NWS Pittsburgh (@NWSPittsburgh) March 17, 2026
Daylight fireball draws attention
Astronomer Carl Hergenrother explained that such bright meteors, known as fireballs, are rare in daylight and are often mistaken for falling satellites. He added that meteors of this size enter Earth’s atmosphere regularly, though many go unnoticed. With more people using mobile phones and security cameras, sightings of such events are becoming increasingly common, leading to a surge in recorded videos.