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Asteroid Boom Shakes Northeast Ohio, Sparks Meteorite Hunt

3/18/2026

47 6 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

On March 17, 2026, a loud boom across Northeast Ohio was heard as far as Pennsylvania and New York.
The National Weather Service (NWS) said the sound likely came from a meteor near Medina, Ohio, before 9 a.m., with no injuries reported.
NASA identified the meteor as a small asteroid about 6 feet in diameter that broke apart over Valley City.
Residents were encouraged to search for meteorite fragments.

History

Historical Context

On February 15, 2013, the Chelyabinsk meteor exploded over Russia, injuring 1,491 people and damaging over 7,200 buildings. This event, the largest since the 1908 Tunguska incident, released energy equivalent to 470 kilotons of TNT. The ongoing threat from near-Earth objects is underscored by similar incidents, such as a smaller meteor near Medina, Ohio, in 2026.

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Story summary

On March 17, 2026, a loud boom across Northeast Ohio was heard as far as Pennsylvania and New York.
The National Weather Service (NWS) said the sound likely came from a meteor near Medina, Ohio, before 9 a.m., with no injuries reported.
NASA identified the meteor as a small asteroid about 6 feet in diameter that broke apart over Valley City.
Residents were encouraged to search for meteorite fragments.

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