New Delhi, March 17 -- The National Weather Service (NWS) said a loud explosion heard across Northeast Ohio on Tuesday morning may have been caused by a meteor entering the Earth's atmosphere.

Officials noted that satellite imagery showed what appeared to be a lightning-like flash around 9 am, but since there were no thunderstorms in the region, they believe the boom was likely linked to a meteor, according to a report by Cleveland.

They explained that the object would have disintegrated in the atmosphere before reaching the ground. The thunder-like sound reported by residents was likely a sonic boom, a shock wave produced when the meteor travelled faster than the speed of sound, sending intense air-pressure waves outward.

NWS meteorol...