What was the loud boom in NJ today? Fireball? Sonic boom?

Boom!

That's what people throughout New Jersey and New York heard shortly after noon, but the origin of it isn't known yet.

People took to social media to ask if it was an earthquake, like the one that rocked the area in the first week of April.

But according to the U.S. Geological Survey, that's not what it was.

While everyone was talking about it after it jolted parts of both Monmouth and Ocean counties, nobody had an answer.

But there were plenty of questions.

Reddit user NativeNYer10019 started a thread called "anyone else in Monmouth county house just shake? I think we just had a small earthquake in Middletown 😳

The comments mention everything from a fireball to an explosion to a jet breaking the sound barrier:

• reddit user vakr001: "The American Meteor Society has received reports of a fireball. Most likely, a giant meteor exploded in the atmosphere, creating a large sonic boom."
• reddit user feral2112: "Funny you mention something breaking the sound barrier. Was standing outside in Manasquan facing roughly North/Northwesr and saw what appeared to be a meteor or something g burning up in the sky. Was quick flash and a short streak, bright white with a hint of red. Lasted maybe a second."
• reddit user Legodude293: "Could’ve been a jet breaking the sound barrier, can’t think of anything else"

Users felt it in the following locations:

• Asbury
• Atlantic Highlands
• Barnegat
• Brooklyn
• East Rutherford
• Fair Lawn
• Keyport
• Middletown
• Neptune
• Staten Island
• Bergen County
• Essex County
• Ocean County
• Union County

Fireball reports in NJ

• July 15 at 11:20 p.m. in Hamilton lasting 3.5 seconds.
• July 15 at 11:22 p.m. in Lakewood lasting 3.5 seconds
• July 12 at 10:05 p.m. in Berlin lasting 1.5 seconds

Source: https://bityl.co/R5yH

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: What was the loud boom in NJ today? Fireball? Sonic boom?