DETROIT – News 6 sister station WDIV-TV in Detroit received hundreds of calls from across the area from residents who saw a bright light and heard a loud explosion Tuesday night.
Reports started pouring in around 8:15 p.m. Tuesday. Members of the staff also reported seeing the flash and hearing a noise.
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It appears the actual occurrence was at 8:08 p.m.
The National Weather Service later said the flash and boom seen by residents across Metro Detroit was likely a meteor.
After reviewing several observational datasets, the NWS can confirm the flash and boom was NOT thunder or lightning, but instead a likely meteor. We continue to monitor feeds from astronomical agencies for official confirmation of a meteor. #miwx
— NWS Detroit (@NWSDetroit) January 17, 2018
So far, there has been no explanation for what might have caused it.
WDIV-TV meteorologist Paul Gross said the bright light and loud noise might have been caused by a bolide, which is a meteor that breaks up in the atmosphere.
Just saw another video...dash cam footage that, if valid, clearly shows that it was a bolide (meteor that broke up). Can’t confirm, but looks legit.
— Paul Gross (@PGLocal4) January 17, 2018
Videos from across the area:
WAS IT A METEOR??? This video captures the bright light everyone has seen in the sky tonight. Courtesy of #Local4 viewer Kevin McCombs. pic.twitter.com/RY4u23jYAY
— Jason Colthorp (@JasonColthorp) January 17, 2018