What in the world did I see?

[hedgehog]

We had a storm about two weeks ago and I still don't know what I saw. The severe storm front that ran from northern New York back west of Chicago was passing over. There was a lot of lightning, some rain and very little wind. We saw lightning at a distance, heard this incredibly loud noise, a combination of twanging and ripping, followed by what sounded like a near-by explosion. Then I saw yellow sparks falling outside the window. I thought the wires had been hit and a transformer overloaded, but there was no sign anywhere of damage. The trees in the area are perfectly fine. The only possible evidence is that a week later a circle of grass died, but that looks more like chemical damage than anything else. I've been looking for scorch marks but haven't found any.

[HeeBGBz]

1. Ball lightning?

That would be my only guess, if you're sure it wasn't a transformer.

[MuseRider]

2. That was my first thought also

although I really know little about it. It seems like it must have been some kind of strike.

[hedgehog]

3. If it was lightning, it didn't scorch the grass, just withered it.

There wasn't any sign of the gravel (crushed stone) in the driveway melting either. Something must have been burning to produce sparks, but I haven't found anything that was scorched yet.