Mystery Booms & Skyquakes — 2012 Worldwide Timeline of Unexplained Loud Booms

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Mystery booms 2012 — worldwide timeline of unexplained loud booms and skyquakes
The 2012 timeline of mystery booms and skyquakes—verified reports, likely causes, sources, and videos.

Key facts (TL;DR) 2012 stands out for the Clintonville, Wisconsin swarm—ultimately linked to a small earthquake—plus scattered mystery booms across the U.S. and Hawai‘i. Many entries point to earthquake booms, industrial or demolition events, and weather-linked phenomena; a few remain unexplained.

Jump to: causes · how to tell · Dec · Dec · Oct · Jun · May · Apr · Mar · Jan · Report a mystery boom

What was that boom? If a thunderless blast shook your windows and rattled your bones in 2012, you weren’t alone. From Wisconsin’s famous Clintonville quake booms to puzzling blasts in Hawai‘i and New England, residents reported unexplained loud booms—often called skyquakes—that set off car alarms, sent pets into hiding, and left officials scrambling for answers.

What causes “mystery booms”?

  • Shallow earthquakes & earthquake booms (e.g., Clintonville, WI)
  • Meteors/sonic booms and atmospheric shockwaves
  • Industrial incidents / demolitions and EOD training
  • Seasonal/cryoseism candidates in colder regions

How to tell what you heard

  • Single jolt + shows on USGS/EMSC: likely an earthquake boom.
  • Clear skies, no thunder, windows rattle: consider sonic/industrial sources.
  • Deep cold + cracking sounds: possible cryoseisms.

Methodology: We prioritize official advisories, USGS/NWS data, local outlets, and verifiable user videos. When uncertain, we mark reports as unconfirmed.

Loud Booms — December 2012

  • Dec 11 — Sissonville, WV (USA): Gas pipeline explosion. Multiple homes destroyed. Results of investigation
  • Dec 6 — Warwick & Barrington, RI (USA): House-rattling boom. Flash of light. Still a mystery after investigations. Warwick Online
  • Dec 5 — Verde Valley, AZ (USA): Reported by thousands in the area. Source unknown. The mysterious booms are back in Arizona. Sedona Red Rock News
  • Dec 4 — Corsicana, TX (USA): Mysterious rumblings baffle residents. Corsicana Daily Sun

↑ Back to top · Next: Nov

Loud Booms — November 2012

  • Nov 30 — Casa Grande, AZ (USA): Explosion at social security office. No one injured

    Casa Grande Explosion, AZ
  • Nov 25 — Springfield, MA (USA): Huge blast. Gas leak investigation. Many homes leveled and destroyed. 18 injured. Mass Live
  • Nov 23 — Clementon, NJ (USA): M2.1 earthquake triggers 200+ reports of loud rumblings and explosion-like noise. Strange Sounds
  • Nov 20 — Edwards County, IL (USA): More rumblings and loud booms during quake
    Earthquake booms in Edwards County, IL

↑ Back to top · Next: Oct

Loud Booms — October 2012

  • Oct 16 — New England (USA) Loud shaking booms rattle residents during M4.0 quake
  • Oct 15 — Camp Minden, LA (USA): Massive boom breaks windows and rattles homes over a five mile area around 11:30 pm CST. Military explosion or meteorite impact? NY Daily News
  • Oct 5 — Manchester Township, NJ (USA) Unexplained loud booms baffle residents

↑ Back to top · Next: Jun

Loud Booms — June 2012

  • Jun 25 — Puna, Hawai‘i (USA): Mysterious booms and rumblings reported by residents.

↑ Back to top · Next: May

Loud Booms — May 2012

  • May 29 — Michigan (USA): Authorities puzzled by boom-like explosion sounds heard over multiple days.

↑ Back to top · Next: Apr

Skyquakes — April 2012

  • Apr 10 — Clintonville, WI (USA): “Boom time” in small-town Clintonville analyzed by researchers. Michigan Tech
  • Apr 5 — Baraboo, WI (USA): “After Clintonville and Montello, now Baraboo booms and shakes. Channel 3000
Baraboo unexplained booms and shakings on the news

↑ Back to top · Next: Mar

Loud Booms — March 2012

  • Mar 23 — Clintonville, WI (USA): Officials announced the local mystery noises and shaking were linked to a small earthquake. CNN
Mysterious Booms in Clintonville, WI solved
  • Mar 21 — Clintonville, WI (USA): Ongoing mysterious booms & trembles baffled scientists. ABC News
Mysterious Booms in Clintonville, WI
Mysterious shaking booms in Clintonville, WI
  • Mar 21 — Montello, WI (USA): Nearby town reported a mysterious sound and rumble.
Similar loud rumbling noises in Montello, WI

↑ Back to top · Next: Jan

Loud Booms — January 2012

  • Jan 13 — Philadelphia, MS (USA): Source of loud booms reported the night before remained unknown.
  • Jan 12 — Muskegon, MI (USA): Loud boom and flash of light downtown sparked calls and speculation. MLive

Report a 2012 boom we missed

Did you hear a mystery boom in 2012 that isn’t listed here? Drop it in the comments or send us a report with time, location, weather, directionality, and any audio/video. The more data points, the better our community can identify patterns across seismic, atmospheric, and human-made sources.

💬 Heard one? Tell us in the comments. Or contact us.
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