Suspected Meteor Lights Up Cleveland Sky

Fireball seen as far as Wisconsin and Maryland, shaking homes and startling residents.

Mar. 17, 2026 at 11:50pm

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A suspected meteor streaked across the sky over Cleveland, Ohio on Tuesday morning, creating a bright fireball that was visible for hundreds of miles and caused a loud boom that shook homes in the area. The American Meteor Society received numerous reports of the event from as far away as Wisconsin and Maryland.

Why it matters

Meteor sightings are relatively common, with an estimated one meteor falling somewhere in the US about once a day. However, this particular event was unusually bright and loud, capturing widespread public attention and raising questions about the size and potential impact of the object.

The details

The fireball was estimated to be the size of a softball or basketball, and entered the atmosphere at "many tens of miles per second." While no debris has been reported, scientists believe the object likely broke apart in the air rather than impacting the ground. The boom was likely caused by a midair explosion rather than a ground impact.

  • The fireball was spotted around 9am local time on Tuesday, March 17, 2026.

The players

American Meteor Society

A non-profit organization that tracks and studies meteor activity, led by executive director Carl Hergenrother.

National Weather Service in Cleveland

The local office of the National Weather Service that heard the boom and felt the vibrations from the suspected meteor.

Ralph Harvey

A professor of earth, environmental and planetary science at Case Western Reserve University.

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What they’re saying

“This one really does look like it's a fireball, which means it's a meteorite—a small asteroid.”

— Carl Hergenrother, Executive Director, American Meteor Society

“There could be some small fragments, but a lot of it would have burned up in the atmosphere.”

— Brian Mitchell, Meteorologist, National Weather Service (Cleveland.com)

What’s next

Scientists will continue to analyze data from the event, including any potential debris that may have reached the ground, to better understand the size and composition of the suspected meteor.

The takeaway

This incident highlights the ongoing scientific interest and public fascination with meteors, as well as the ability of modern technology and reporting to capture these rare celestial events in real-time across a wide geographic area.