Boom heard in Washington state likely an exploding meteor

May 8 (UPI) -- A loud booming sound reported by multiple witnesses in Washington state was likely a meteor exploding over the area, experts said.

The American Meteor Society said several reports came in about a bright object streaking across the sky over the Puget Sound area about 7 p.m. Wednesday, followed by a loud boom that some witnesses said caused their homes to shake.

"The more I read the more inclined I am to believe this was a fireball (which is a meteor that is larger and brighter than normal)," Bob Lunsford with the American Meteor Society told KOMO-TV. "I'm certain now that this was a meteoric event."

Lunsford said the timing of the sightings and the boom, which occurred about three minutes after the streak of light was noted, makes sense for a larger-than-normal meteor explosion.

"If this was larger than normal then the sound could have originated from a higher altitude. So a delay of 3 minutes is entirely possible," Lunsford said.

Space.com said the annual Eta Aquarid Meteor Shower, which is caused by Earth's orbit crossing through debris from Halley's Comet, peaked early Wednesday morning, but will continue to cause sightings for a few weeks.