The National Weather Service says the bright light and thunder-like sound in the sky across southern Michigan may have been a meteor. The weather service says dozens of people called on Tuesday night, and some had felt their homes shake. (Jan. 17) AP
DETROIT -- Experts say what looked like thunder with a flash of light in the sky above Detroit was likely a meteor.
Around the time of the flash of light at 8:15 p.m., residents across metro Detroit also reported that their homes began shaking. The U.S. Geological service registered a 2.0 earthquake near Detroit.
Jordan Dale, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in White Lake, said the flash in the sky was likely a meteor.
"It looks like from videos and reports we've gotten (that it's a) meteor," Dale said. "However, we cannot confirm it's a meteor. At this point, we're just sticking to what we know — and it was not thunder or lightning or weather-related."
The weather service by about 9 p.m. had already received dozens of reports, ranging from Flint to Toledo.
Multiple images were posted of night skies being lit up, as social media exploded with people reporting what they saw or heard.
"It's certainly a rare occurrence," Dale said, adding that they're working to determine the cause.
Fred Levine e-mailed that he was sitting in his living room in Commerce Township at about 8:19 p.m. when he saw what appeared to be lightning outside his west-facing front door.
Facebook user Claire Ceresnie posted this comment: "In Livonia I saw a big flash in the northwestern sky above my house. I thought maybe I've been watching too much sci-fi on Netflix."
And Facebook user Carol Peck Kazmierski posted: "Saw a fireball in the sky and then a couple minutes later there was a loud boom and the house shook. Grosse Ile."