A loud noise shook the surrounding houses. MassachusettsParts of Rhode Island and New Hampshire are increasingly being linked to meteor explosions over Cape Cod Bay on Saturday afternoon. Officials have not yet confirmed the details.
New Cape Code Report
The latest satellite imagery comes from NOAA’s GOES-19 Satellites have provided some of the clearest evidence yet, capturing what experts say was a massive atmospheric flash around the same time residents reported hearing explosion-like sounds.
Referring to the newly released image, one social media user wrote: “NOAA’s GOES 19 captured an image of a massive flash of light over Cape Cod Bay. A meteor is believed to have broken apart in the atmosphere, causing an explosion that could be heard across New England.”
Another observer added: “I think the NOAA product measured some kind of energy that definitely indicates an explosion in the atmosphere over Cape Cod Bay. That’s what we all heard. Just a little bigger than I thought the tree fell. #boom”
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Reports pour in from New England
The mysterious roar was first reported shortly after 2 p.m. local time on Saturday, with residents from the Boston metropolitan area to Rhode Island and southern New Hampshire describing a powerful noise that shook buildings and shocked communities.
Many initially suspected thunder, military activity, or even a small earthquake.
One resident who spends time outdoors near Cape Cod described the experience online.
“Giant meteor in Cape Cod Bay?” they wrote on the X (formerly Twitter) platform.
“I was walking my dog along the salt marsh during the storm and heard the most terrifying rumble, longer and louder than thunder. I was worried it might be a tsunami, but not… a meteor. This is a satellite image.”
Experts point to fire stream over ocean east of Boston
After reports of the surge spread on social media, meteorologists quickly began analyzing atmospheric and satellite data. Space meteorologist Nick Stewart was one of the first experts to spot meteor-related events.
Stewart wrote on
After further reviewing the data, Stewart took the theory further.
“The flash density product does show this unusual ‘flash’ that is very unique to bolide/meteor re-entries east of Boston. This may be the source of the loud noise/explosion,” he added.
GOES-19 detects unusual atmospheric flash
The strongest evidence supporting the meteor theory comes from the GOES-East weather satellite, which detected a large flash over eastern Massachusetts at about the same time it reported the explosion.
NBC10 meteorologist Pamela Gardner also highlighted the unusual reading.
“Big bang/boom happening around Boston,” she tweeted. “GOES 19’s GLM shows possible meteor or bolide entry into the atmosphere. There is no lightning in the current storm and no USGS earthquakes.”
Meteorologists noted that no significant thunderstorm activity or seismic events were recorded during this period, making meteor explosions the leading explanation.
Where do bolides explode?
The meteor likely entered the Earth’s atmosphere over waters east of Boston, making Cape Cod Bay the most likely location for an atmospheric rupture, according to weather analysts who reviewed the data.
WBZ-TV Chief Meteorologist Eric Fisher reported that satellite observations showed the object entered the atmosphere near the South Shore area before exploding offshore.
The resulting shock wave appears to have spread across much of New England, explaining why the roar could be heard over such a wide area.
What is a bolide?
A bolide is an unusually bright meteor that explodes or fragments as it passes through Earth’s atmosphere.
These events often produce powerful flashes of light that are visible over long distances and can create sonic booms powerful enough to shake homes and windows.
Meteor experts note that while smaller meteors enter Earth’s atmosphere regularly, larger bolides capable of producing audible shock waves are rare.
Investigation continues
While officials have not yet issued a final determination, a growing body of satellite evidence and expert analysis strongly suggests that a meteor blast over or near Cape Cod Bay was responsible for Saturday’s mysterious explosion.
