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On December 29, 2021, Texarkana was baffled when fish were literally falling from the sky. A thunderstorm that slammed the region not only brought rain and hail, but also dozens or hundreds of falling fish.
Now, geosciences experts are weighing in and are trying to explain exactly what the heck happened that disorienting day.
Researchers Sharon Hill and Paul Cropper shared details of an investigation into the "strange fish rain" on their blog:
"We are fairly confident we determined the factors that led to fish falling across this area of Texas: A flock of cormorants (and possibly other birds) disgorged their recently consumed meals of small shad while in the air or perhaps during takeoff. Conclusion: They were temporarily eaten, and… released."
Hill and Cropper released their investigation results in hope to debunk the idea that "fish are swept up in waterspouts and deposited over towns." The scientists said there's no evidence for that happening.
You can read the full report here.