"That noise was not thunder" a boom in the Poconos has residents perplexed

Another boom, shook the residents of the Poconos The Pocono Record has the story-

Strong thunderstorms hit the Poconos Friday night, moving through shortly after 10 p.m. and continuing for at least a half hour, but the weather event that had folks talking was a loud sonic-like boom that shook houses at about 10:15 p.m.

Gilda Spiotta of Long Pond said, “The shaking last night lasted unusually long. Didn't sound like thunder, didn't feel like thunder, was wondering if something happened on 380/80; tanker accident.”

Another Long Pond resident, Lorene R. Allman-Mars: "My son was at the back door letting the dogs out and he reported that he saw a large flash of light fill the sky toward/above the FedEx distribution site on 940, then he heard a loud boom. It didn't look like lightning, it looked like a bomb blew up in the air. I was on the second floor of the house; I didn't see anything but I heard the boom and felt it shake the house. I actually felt it under my feet. The floors shook; I have never felt lightning shake the house like that before and we've been up here 20 years!"

Some readers suggested an earthquake or an explosion, but said that definitely was no routine thunder.

Meteorologist and Pocono weather expert Ben Gelber offered this explanation: “One possibility is that thunderstorms in our chilly environment near the surface tonight, associated with an inversion of warm air aloft, sound much louder.”

He added, “The sound waves are refracted back to the surface and reverberate in ways that we normally do not experience as they bounce between the surface and the inversion near the base of the clouds.”

Other residents commented from across the Poconos:
“My kids and I heard the sound in Saw Creek,” said Winnie Michaluk. "Our windows rattled and our dogs were barking like crazy."

Russo Albuja of Tobyhanna said, “I was driving along 196 on my way home from work when I felt the BOOM. It was so extreme, my car shook and on my left hand side on an empty field - all I saw was this HUGE flash of light coming from where the airport location would be at. Afterwards, I heard nothing. Kinda scared me that I rushed home and locked my doors.”

Katee McCarthy said, “Felt it here in the Tannersville area. Quite scary." As of 11 p.m., she reported lightning and sleet in the area.

Tim Aziz said, “Just heard something at 10:35 in East Stroudsburg, the whole house vibrated!”

“Yes I heard the boom, but thought it was just thunder!” said Pete Howey of Snydersville. That was the same reaction of Rosalie Ems, who said, "We heard it; just thought it was thunder rolling in with cold air against the warm air?"

Lots more at the link.