Boom over the Tri-Cities - Jun 23, 2026, 6:52 PM
Tuesday, June 23, 2026 at 6:52 PM · 3 months ago
The red marker is our best guess at the source; the blue dots are where people were. This combines two independent clues: the 3 directions people pointed, and how loud it was where each person stood (a boom is loudest nearest its source). The marker sits where those two agree - which is why it's more trustworthy than either alone. Adding more directions or loudness reports sharpens it.
Collecting reports
Reports are still coming in. We compare every boom against seismic records, 911 dispatch activity, weather and known local sources. If we can pin down what it was, this is where it will appear.
More reports make this far more likely, especially from different directions.
What it lines up with
Automatic cross-references. Suggestive, not proof.
Richland Sub Station (substation) - about 0.8 km from the estimated origin.
A USGS M1.7 earthquake 40 km away, 5h apart.
Conditions weren’t especially sound-carrying. (33°C, wind 9 km/h, 99% cloud)
evening on a weekday.
First quarter (65% lit).
Transformer and substation faults set off both a boom and an outage. See who else nearby is out, and when it is coming back.
isthepowerout.comWhat people reported
Each number matches a dot on the map above.
This is the house launching fireworks… happens every year around 4th of July, weeks before and after. Feel free to call and make a police report if it bothers you!
What do you think it was?
Cast your vote. The data’s nearest match: substation - Richland Sub Station.
Discussion
Saw the same thing? Have a theory or evidence about what it was? Weigh in.