The Oakville Blob Downpour! When It Rained Goo In The US Instead Of Water

In August 1994, Oakville, Washington, experienced a mysterious downpour of gelatinous blobs. The blobs, resembling grains of rice, apparently caused respiratory issues for some residents.

In August 1994, the small town of Oakville, Washington, US, became the unlikely epicentre of a peculiar meteorological event that would leave residents baffled and scientists scratching their heads. Instead of the usual rain, Oakville experienced a downpour of gelatinous blobs, a phenomenon now infamously known as the 'Oakville Blobs'.

The Great Blob Downpour

On the morning of August 7, Oakville's residents woke up to find their town blanketed in tiny, translucent blobs, each about the size of a grain of rice. These gooey morsels fell in such abundance that they covered roofs and streets alike, peaking curiosity and concern among locals.

Sunny Barclift, one of the first to report the phenomenon, described it as a scene straight out of a sci-fi movie — except this was all too real.  The blobs didn’t just create a spectacle; they also seemed to carry a sinister undertone. Several residents reported flu-like symptoms after coming into contact with the goo, including dizziness and nausea.

According to Discovery UK, she suspected her mother's sickness to be related to the blob rain and sent samples to the Hazardous Material Unit at the Department of Ecology of Washington State.

Dotty Hearn, Barclift’s mother, even ended up hospitalized with severe inner ear issues shortly after the blobs fell. A local police officer who encountered the blobs while on patrol also fell ill.

What Were The Oakville Blobs?

As one might expect from such an unusual event, theories about the origin of the blobs ran rampant. Some locals speculated that they were remnants of military testing gone awry, especially given reports of military aircraft in the vicinity around that time. Others suggested more outlandish explanations involving extraterrestrial life and jellyfish being pulverised by sonic booms from nearby jets.

Scientific investigations revealed that the blobs contained two species of bacteria. However, researchers found no evidence suggesting the bacteria were harmful. Some scientists proposed that the blobs could be related to "star jelly", a substance historically reported, but never definitively explained.

Despite numerous attempts to unravel the mystery, the true nature of the Oakville Blobs remains elusive. Over three weeks in August 1994, there were six separate incidents where these gelatinous entities rained down on Oakville, yet no conclusive answers emerged. The samples collected for analysis were lost over time, leaving behind only questions.