NUFORC Sighting 37300

Occurred: 2004-06-03 02:40 Local
Reported: 2004-06-03 10:06 Pacific
Duration: 3 seconds
No of observers: 1

Location: Port Angeles, WA, USA

Shape: Flash

Bright Flash over Washington Penninsula

At 2:40 AM, I was traveling West on Highway 101 in Port Angeles between Front St. and Chase St. when I started to see a flash to my right. As I turned my head to the right (NNE: North-North-East toward Victoria, BC.) it increased in brightness and the whole area was lit up very bright. I did not see the object as I was in a mini-van in the drivers seat and the object would have been above the roof of the van. I immediately pulled over to the right and got out to see if I could see anything. I thought because of the brightness that it may have been a Nuclear Reactor accident somewhere but the flash only lasted 3 seconds. I also thought it could possibly have been lightning but there were no clouds. The sky was clear and had the glow of the full moon toward SW: South-West. I looked around to see if anyone else saw it and didn't find anyone that late at night. I did eventually find a Taxi Driver at 2:45 AM who saw it and he thought it was an electrical box on a telephone pole that blew. He said it was sooo bright and blue-ish that it blinded him and he couldn't figure out what it was. I called 911 about 2:47 AM and reported it and they said they were getting calls from all over the county and they thought it may be a meteor. Radio stations later that morning were speculating the it could have been a meteor or "Space Junk" from used rockets or a satelite falling into Earths atmosphere. They also reported that there was a boom sound even though I did not hear that.

NUFORC Note:

Dramatic meteor. PD

Posted 2004-06-04