Residents across western Pennsylvania and parts of Ohio witnessed a bright meteor streak across the morning sky Tuesday, sparking widespread reports and social media activity as the phenomenon lit up the region.

The event was observed over Pittsburgh and throughout northeast Ohio, where multiple witnesses described seeing a large fireball accompanied by a loud boom, consistent with a meteor entering Earth’s atmosphere.

An employee with the National Weather Service office in Pittsburgh, Jared Rackley, captured video of the event, showing what appeared to be a bright meteoroid burning as it descended.

Officials from the National Weather Service Cleveland later indicated that the bright streak and reported sound were likely caused by a meteor, possibly producing a sonic boom as it traveled through the atmosphere.

The fireball was clearly visible across the Greater Pittsburgh area, with particularly favorable viewing conditions due to a temporary break in recent record-setting snowfall in the region.

Local emergency communications also reflected the unusual sighting. According to reports, a police officer near UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh radioed in after observing what was described as “a rocket or something burning like a meteorite.”

Across social media platforms, residents shared firsthand accounts, images, and video footage.

WATCH: Meteor spotted over the Pittsburgh area, reportedly seen in parts of Pennsylvania and Ohio.

pic.twitter.com/NwPnVj6cXV— AZ Intel (@AZ_Intel_) March 17, 2026

Users on community forums, including Reddit, posted photos showing a thin smoke trail cutting across the morning sky, including sightings reported from areas such as Bethel Park.

One witness described seeing a “super bright fireball lasting several seconds” around 9:00 a.m., traveling across the northern sky before disappearing.

Meteors—commonly referred to as “shooting stars”—occur when small space rocks, known as meteoroids, enter Earth’s atmosphere and burn due to friction, producing a visible streak of light. If any fragments survive and reach the ground, they are then classified as meteorites.

While meteor sightings are relatively common, especially during annual meteor showers, events involving bright fireballs and audible sonic booms are less frequent, making Tuesday’s sighting particularly notable.

The next major meteor shower, the Lyrid meteor shower, is expected to peak around April 17, according to the American Meteor Society.

Authorities have not reported any confirmed impacts or damage associated with the event, and it remains unclear whether any fragments reached the ground.