Residents across Northeast Ohio experienced a startling sonic boom Tuesday morning when a meteor broke apart high in the atmosphere. The event, confirmed by NASA and the National Weather Service, occurred just before 9 a.m. EDT and was heard from Cleveland to parts of Pennsylvania.

NASA reported the space rock measured nearly 6 feet in diameter and weighed about 17,000 pounds, equivalent to roughly 7 to 8 tons. Traveling at 44,000 miles per hour, it lit up the daytime sky as a bright fireball before fragmenting above Medina County, approximately 25 miles south of Cleveland. The breakup generated the sonic boom that shook homes, rattled windows, and briefly alarmed pets and people throughout the region.

The National Weather Service in Cleveland pointed to satellite imagery from the Geostationary Lightning Mapper as evidence linking the meteor to the boom. Reports flooded 911 lines, social media, and newsrooms, with descriptions of an "earthquake-like" explosion followed by a rumble. Some accounts extended the audible range to Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, and even New York, though the core impact zone centered on Northeast Ohio counties like Medina, Cuyahoga, and Lorain.

Video footage captured the spectacle. A garage camera in Northeast Ohio recorded the meteor streaking across the sky, while Olmsted Falls schools released an image from their security system showing the bright trail. Local media outlets aired viewer-submitted clips of the fireball, confirming the meteor's path.

No injuries or property damage were reported as of late afternoon. Authorities confirmed no meteorite impacts on the ground, with the object fully disintegrating in the atmosphere. Experts from Case Western Reserve University analyzed the event, noting its rarity for a daytime occurrence on St. Patrick's Day.

"It was crazy," one resident told FOX 8 News, describing how the boom shook their entire house. Others compared it to a large explosion or a military jet. Meteorologist Jeff Tanchak explained the sound resulted from the object breaking the sound barrier during atmospheric entry.

Such events, while uncommon, highlight Earth's constant bombardment by small asteroids. Ohio has recorded several notable fireballs in recent years, but this one stood out for its widespread audibility. Astronomers monitor near-Earth objects, and this meteor posed no threat once detected.

As investigations continue, officials urged the public not to handle any potential fragments without expert guidance, though none have surfaced yet. The incident served as a dramatic reminder of cosmic visitors passing through our skies.