The Jersey Shore mystery shake: If that wasn't an earthquake Thursday, then ... what?

TRENTON — Whatever shook parts of New Jersey on Thursday remains a mystery.

The U.S. Geological Survey does not have a listing of any reported activity in New Jersey or along the East Coast on Thursday on its website.

"I don't think it was an earthquake. We would have had seismographic confirmation by now," Townsquare New Jersey Chief Meteorologist Dan Zarrow said.

People reported feeling a shaking around 4 p.m. mostly in southern Ocean County and into Atlantic County, in towns including Barnegat, Little Egg Harbor, Winslow, Toms River, Sea Isle City and Southampton.

In January, the same area felt a shaking that turned out to be test flights out of Naval Air Station Patuxent River in Maryland. Patrick Gordon, spokesman for NAS Patuxent River told New Jersey 101.5 "A number of military bases up-and-down the eastern seaboard use that area for aircraft testing. It could have been us, it could have a number of other air wings or squadrons or bases," Gordon said.

Ocean County Sheriff Mike Mastronardy said his office was not notified of any planned military activity from the Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst and did get got a few calls on Thursday

Calls on Friday morning to the Defense Department and Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst have not yet been returned. The Press of Atlantic City reported that the 177th Air National Guard Fighter Wing said it did not have any planes in flight late Thursday afternoon.

"My front storm door shook open! Windows and cabinets rattled. It was felt very strong in Galloway," Alison Briant-Burley said in a comment on a post Zarrow made on his Facebook page.

"Garage doors, windows, and sliding doors all shook quite a bit ... Barnegat," Peter De Sarno wrote.

"I felt a small rumble around 4:30 in Shamong," Julie Winters commented.

There are also those who said they felt shaking in Clinton, in Hunterdon County.

Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com.

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