Sonic boom reported after meteor explodes over western Canada

A bright fireball exploded over western Canada at 06:23 UTC on March 18, 2023.

The meteor was reported to be close to the ground when it lit up the sky, appearing like a bolt of lightning. According to reports, witnesses heard the explosion caused by the meteor, which prompted some to initially confuse it with an explosion.

The American Meteor Society (AMS) received 9 reports from users in Alberta in Saskatchewan and 3 videos. It reported that the fireball was moving in a southerly direction over Saskatchewan and Alberta when flames began appearing in the sky around 12:30 LT (06:30 UTC) on March 18.

An Edmonton woman, who was driving home late at night, described the event in a report to the American Meteor Society, stating: “All of a sudden, I see a bright orange object falling from the sky. I do not think it was a meteor.”

Similarly, a man from Vera, Saskatchewan, posted his account of the incident on social media, stating: “It was more like an explosion that lit up the sky…from the center outwards.” Another man from Swanson, Saskatchewan, described the event as a “sonic boom like thunder nearby,” adding that he heard a “ba ba boom sound, 30 seconds after flash.”

Doorbell videos captured by witnesses showed the fireball nearing treetops on the horizon before it exploded. The resulting flash of light was described as resembling a full moon for a brief time.

References:

¹ Fireball event #1630-2023 – AMS – March 18, 2023

² Fireball explodes over Western Canada creating sonic boom in night, onlookers say – The Sacramento Bee – March 21, 2023

Featured image credit: Joel Deck