NASA reported that the explosion of the New Year's meteorite in Pittsburgh is equivalent to 30 tons of TNT

A meteor that caused an earthquake over a Pittsburgh suburb on New Year's Day exploded in the atmosphere with an energy equivalent to about 30 tons (27,200 kg) of TNT, officials said.

The National Weather Service in Pittsburgh initially responded, suggesting that the most likely explanation was a "meteorite explosion," and people turned to social media in search of answers.

Later, Nasa Meteor Watch confirmed the meteor explosion in a Facebook post on Monday, saying that an infrasound station located nearby registered an explosive wave from the meteor when it broke apart, causing a sonic boom.

The data obtained allowed us to estimate the energy released during the explosion as equivalent to 30 tons (27,200 kilograms) of TNT.

"If we make a reasonable assumption about the speed of the meteor (45,000 miles per hour, or 72,400 km/h), we can estimate the size of the object about a yard in diameter, with a mass of about half a ton," the agency said.

According to the agency, if it were not for cloudy weather, the fireball would be clearly visible in the daytime sky - perhaps it would be 100 times brighter than the full moon.

National Weather Service meteorologist Shannon Hefferan told the Tribune-Review newspaper that satellite data recorded an outbreak over Washington County shortly before 11.30 am on Saturday, and officials believe it was caused by a "meteor falling through the atmosphere." Hefferan said a similar phenomenon occurred on September 17 in Hardy County, West Virginia.

Residents of South Hills and other areas reported hearing loud noises and feeling their homes shaking and rattling. Allegheny County authorities said they confirmed the absence of seismic activity, thunder and lightning.

"[It] was such a loud boom and shook my house in Verona. I grabbed my dog as we were both scared... I thought there was an earthquake, a train derailment or a big accident at the turn behind my house," one person wrote in response to the explosion.

"We saw and heard it here in southwest Ohio, we saw a huge flash and about three or four seconds later a huge boom, it literally shook our house, I thought someone lit dynamite," another person added.