There have been reports of fireball sightings in multiple states across the southeastern United States during the daylight hours of Thursday.
The American Meteor Society, a reliable source in such matters, reported that it received in excess of 140 reports of these fireball sightings spanning six states. These states include Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA, confirmed it detected multiple bright flashes of light throughout the day on Thursday through its lightning flash tracker.
One such flash was recorded between 12:21 p.m. and 12:26 p.m. Eastern Time, south of Atlanta. Multiple videos from home security cameras and dashcam footage in South Carolina depicted a fireball streaking across the sky during this time frame.
NOAA’s Satellite and Information Service shared a “quick flash” captured near the Virginia-North Carolina border on Thursday. According to reliable sources, NOAA’s lightning mapper can sometimes detect bright meteors, or bolides, as they traverse through the atmosphere.
The National Weather Service in Charleston, South Carolina, following “many reports” of a fireball across the Southeast, also stated that “satellite-based lightning detection shows a streak within cloud-free sky” around the Virginia-North Carolina border on Thursday. The significance of this should not be overlooked.
In summary, multiple states in the southeast of the country reported fireball sightings on Thursday, with various organizations and agencies confirming these sightings. These reports, combined with the data collected, suggest a significant meteorological event.
