What Was That Loud, Mysterious 'Sonic Boom' Heard Throughout Houston?

Did you hear a loud boom in Houston, Texas, on Monday night? You're not alone.

Reports on social media suggest a loud boom was heard in the Third Ward, Montrose, West U, Bellaire and Meyerland areas just before midnight Monday (March 7), according to KHOU. Although Houston Police is aware of the loud noise that rattled the city last night, they're not entirely sure what it was, either.

The National Weather Service tweeted early Tuesday morning the loud boom "could have been a meteorite. However, nothing showed up on radar or satellite at the time the boom was heard so can't verify anything."

One social media user suggested it couldn't be the sound of a transformer blowing, since it's too wide of an area.

Another user, who claims to be a "space and aviation geek," according to his Twitter bio, supports the National Weather Service's case that the loud boom was a meteorite. "The cloud cover muffed the sonic boom as well as prevented anyone or any cameras from seeing the fireball or flash it produced," he said.

Another user supported this theory, saying, "With no storms in the area & little in the way of (known) aviation, I think your conclusion is accurate." He went on to list the things we know about the loud boom: "That was no ordinary rattling, that was no ordinary boom, it was heard/felt all over Houston, it was low-pitched, and it was a quick-hitting pulse."