Boom felt throughout southern N.J. and Del. possibly weather-related
PHILADELPHIA - If you heard the rumble down the shore Tuesday afternoon, or in other parts of South Jersey, you, too, were probably wondering the same thing. What was that noise?
The reports from startled South Jersey residents started pouring in about 1:30, in the afternoon.
Some thought it was a possible earthquake. FOX 29 checked with the United States Geological Survey who confirmed the loud rumble wasn’t an earthquake.
A check with the Pentagon found that while the U.S. Navy were conducting jet fighter training flights off the East Coast test track, none of their jets reached supersonic speed.
A disturbance in the mid-level of the atmosphere passed through the Northeast Tuesday. Meanwhile, the jet stream with strong winds was passing through Delaware and southern New Jersey during the day. A jet streak – which is a stronger push of air within the jet stream - passed by South Jersey and Delaware.
The combination of the two forces provides some explanation for the sound many heard Tuesday afternoon, because of a temperature inversion.
A temperature inversion happens when warm air is in the upper atmosphere while colder air is at the surface. Sound is trapped in the cool, lower level.
Any kind of boom or sound that happens in the upper atmosphere and comes down to the ground will be trapped and that sound will travel farther. That sound will last longer and travel, possibly, several miles.
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