March meteor madness! Why the spike in fireballs? We explain

It may seem like there has been an unusually high number of meteorites this year, as seen by the many fireball events that were reported across the United States this week.

The American Meteor Society says that there was a notable increase in fireball activity in early 2026, with ten incidents until mid-March producing more than 100 witness reports apiece. Despite the fact that small space objects are constantly crashing into the Earth's atmosphere, the amount of fireballs reported in 2026 is more than usual.

Another possible reason is that more people have cameras handy, from smartphones to doorbell cameras to dashboard cameras, making it faster and easier to record and share these fleeting cosmic occurrences when they happen, which is another possible reason for the apparent rise in meteor sightings.

How March meteors compares to previous years

Large fireball incidents appear to have increased considerably in the first quarter of 2026. Reporting 61 events recorded at the 25+ report threshold versus a 2021-2025 average of roughly 43 – up about 42%, according to the American Meteor Society.

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There have been over thirty major fireballs creating sonic booms, or around one every three days. Due to increasing activity from the Anthelion sporadic meteor source (a broad region in the night sky that produces a steady, low-level stream of meteors year round) and maybe improved reporting, this amount reflects both a high total count and frequency.

March's meteor madness

March had several notable fireball events. Over 200 witness reports were filed with the American Meteor Society after a daylight meteor caused a sonic boom that was audible throughout Ohio and Pennsylvania. As well as another fireball which flew across the sky during the day near Houston, Texas. And multiple fireballs were reported over California, Oregon and Washington.

Doorbell camera captures fireball over Ohio

Video shows fireball over California

Video evidence over Pacific Northwest

What is it? Meteor, comet or an asteroid?

Meteors are space rocks that are as small as a grain of sand or small rock, according to NASA. As they enter the Earth's atmosphere, they create a tail of debris as they disintegrate before reaching the ground. Meteorites that have made their way to the Earth's surface are small pieces of an asteroid. Some have been traced back to Mars and the moon. 

Most meteor showers are named after constellations, stars and even asteroids.

Want to see more meteorites? See our meteor shower calendar

There are a number of significant meteor shower events that are expected to peak soon, offering great opportunities to see more meteors (shooting stars). According to the American Meteor Society and other sources, the most notable upcoming events include: