SARANAC LAKE — A loud noise that shook windows and vibrated buildings around 10 a.m. Thursday was a sonic boom from a fighter jet.

A spokesman for the Vermont National Guard confirmed that the noise came from a supersonic flight check of a F-16 Fighting Falcon by the guard’s 158th Fighter Wing.

“It’s a maintenance-driven flight check with a specific profile to check out the aircraft after certain maintenance has occurred,” said Maj. Chris Gookin, the state public information officer for the Vermont National Guard. Part of the check involves flying the jet faster than the speed of sound, which released the boom in the air.

The flight check was performed at a high altitude, but Gookin said environmental factors such as humidity or cloud cover can increase or decrease the range in which a sonic boom can be heard.