Houston residents reported a mysterious bang that sounded like a large explosion happening nearby, while several claimed to have seen a ball of fire flash in the sky and then collapse in black smoke Saturday afternoon. The Brenham Fire Department confirmed they received a report of a possible explosion near Highway 50, but did not find anything upon arrival. A woman named Sherry James claimed that an unusual rock crashed through her roof, leaving a large hole in the roof and her floor. Since no one could confirm what exactly happened, the American Meteor Society said it may have been a meteor shower over Texas. The society said it had received more than 100 reports of a ‘fireball incident’. According to those who witnessed it, the meteor shower is believed to have lasted between 1.5 seconds and 7.5 seconds. A few hours later, NASA confirmed the weather activity was visible 49 miles above Stagecoach, northwest of Houston. NASA said the meteorite moved southeast at 35,000 mph and broke up 29 miles above Bamel, just west of the Cyprus station.
NASA’s statement on meteorite sighting over Texas
“Multiple eyewitnesses in the state of Texas have filed reports of a bright fireball seen on March 21 at 4:40 p.m. Central Daylight Time (2026 March 21:40 UTC) on the American Meteor Society website. The meteor was also detected by geostationary lightning mappers on GOES satellites. Analysis of currently available data shows that the meteor was located northwest of Houston. The stagecoach was visible at an altitude of 49 miles. It moved southeast at 35,000 mph and disintegrated 29 miles above Bamel, just west of Cyprus Station. The disintegration of the asteroid fragment – which weighed about a ton and was 3 feet in diameter – released the energy of 26 tons of TNT, creating a pressure wave that spread across the ground and some people in the area heard the bang. Doppler weather radar shows meteorites falling to the ground between Willowbrook and Northgate Crossing, NASA said.
