Columbia, South Carolina Sonic Boom Source Remains Mystery as Earthquake, Military and Aircraft Causes Ruled Out With Meteor Theory Gaining Ground
COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA — The massive sonic boom that shook the Columbia, South Carolina metro at 5:24 PM on May 28, 2026 remains unconfirmed in origin, but investigators are narrowing the possibilities through elimination. As of May 29, three major causes have been officially ruled out, leaving a meteor or bolide event as the leading remaining theory. Videos emerging online showing a possible vapor trail are lending increasing confidence to this explanation.
What Has Been Ruled Out
Three potential causes have now been eliminated from the investigation:
- Earthquake: USGS confirmed the event was not seismic and reported no quakes anywhere nearby at the time
- Military activity: Military sources have indicated the boom was not military in nature
- Aircraft: The event has also been ruled not aircraft related
Why Meteor Remains on the Table
With earthquake, military and aircraft causes eliminated, investigators are left with the meteor hypothesis as the primary remaining explanation. Key factors supporting this theory:
- Videos are emerging showing what appears to be a vapor trail consistent with a meteor or bolide entry
- Small meteors that enter Earth’s atmosphere at high speed can explode or fragment, generating a powerful shockwave and sonic boom felt across a wide area
- The event occurred during daylight hours with thick cloud cover blanketing much of South Carolina, conditions that make satellite meteor detection significantly less reliable
- The American Meteor Society has no official reports, but investigators acknowledge the detection gap created by the cloud cover and daylight timing
The Felt Zone Across South Carolina
The graphic shows the sonic boom was centered on Columbia with shockwaves felt outward across a broad area including:
- Lancaster to the north
- Florence and Myrtle Beach to the east
- Georgetown and Charleston to the southeast
- Orangeburg to the south
- Greenwood and Greenville to the west
What Happens Next
The investigation continues as more video evidence is reviewed and additional eyewitness reports are collected. The vapor trail videos will be a key piece of evidence in either confirming or ruling out the meteor theory. Until a definitive source is identified, the May 28 South Carolina sonic boom remains officially unexplained.
Stay with CabarrusWeekly.com for continuing updates as the investigation into the South Carolina sonic boom develops.
