UFO activity over Spokane, Washington area 11-Jan-2013

Bright Light Over The Inland Northwest Skies Prompts KHQ Friends To Call In & Post On Social Media

UPDATE: We’ve contacted the Spokane Astronomical Society and other agencies. They are checking into the widespread reports of a light in the sky and a loud explosion. Still no confirmation of what it was.

Denise A D: I live in Eastwood Terrace in Newman Lake. I was out in my front yard taking my 2 dogs potty at about 6:30. I was facing the right side of my driveway when I heard a boom. My driveway lit up. It was so bright and I thought is was a car coming up the driveway. I looked up in the sky to the west side of my driveway and saw the shooting star. It was very bright and fell from the sky like a flare gun would. It was a very bright. Vanished as it fell from the sky. Crazy! I went inside and told my daughter Ashlee.

Karen B R: I heard a loud boom here in the valley. Sounded like when power boxes explode only louder. Ben Howard Up in North Spokane, I saw the sky light up and watched a shooting star like object fall from the sky. 5 minutes later I heard a rumble/expansion

Katherine E: I heard the loud bang out hear in Cheney area!

Stephanie P: I heard what sounded like 2 or 3 explosions that were pretty loud and did rattle the house a bit.

Wendi G H: I was on my back porch and heard 2 big bangs or explosions at 6:35 in Newman Lake at Stateline, thought it was gunshots…anyone else hear it?

Gayle P: I went outside at 6:25 this morning to warm up my vehicle when I saw a flash of light. I look up at the sky and see what appears to be a shooting star only 10 times the size. I saw it through the haze of the sky. It had a tail on it as well. Any idea what it is?

Sandy G: What just happened? I saw a huge green glowing ball fly across the sky oveR my house on North Five Mile going NW to SE at around 6:25…about 2 minutes later I heard a loud explosion sound in the direction of the valley??????

Ashley C: Did anyone see that huge blue streak across the sky in Post Falls

Joseph T F: I witnessed the bright flash at 0620hrs Friday morning from my back yard at Fairchild AFB. It was a meteor entering the atmosphere. I noticed the bright flash and looked up to see the meteor traveling southeast. The flash was from the meteor breaking apart. The explosion heard was the sonic boom from the high speed it was traveling at and impacting the thick atmosphere due to pressure and friction. Based on a rough count, the sonic boom followed roughly 30 seconds after seeing the flash. From my perspective, it did not impact the ground and exploded in the air. The entire visible flash lasted roughly 6 seconds.

Jay: I was shoveling snow at 6:25 at my house on the south hill. All of the sudden everything lit up around me. I looked up and saw what appeared to be a meteor falling and breaking up. It was straight up in the southern horizon and appeared to be falling to the south. It was bright, slightly blue-green and appeared to break up in three sections. It streamed towards the ground like fireworks and faded in about 2-3 seconds. I started shoveling again and heard one of the loudest thunder sounds that I’ve ever heard about 30 seconds later. It was quite spectacular. I have never seen anything like it. Wondering about what I saw and thinking that maybe I saw a flare or falling plane, I decided to call crime check and report what I saw around 6:30 a.m. After that, I did a little research on the Internet and learned that there are plenty of similar falling meteor reports documented on line. In many cases, people report thunder or a loud boom about 30 seconds after seeing the light.

PREVIOUS STORY:

KHQ.COM – A lot of people have been calling our newsroom and posting on our Facebook wall about a bright flash over the skies of the Inland Northwest, some have even reported hearing an explosion. It happened around 6:20 this morning. We’re getting reports from Spokane, Spokane Valley CDA, Athol, Tum Tum Lewiston Id, Libby Mt, Airway Heights, Cheney and other surrounding areas.

We’re awaiting to hear from law enforcement and from the Spokane International Airport on just exactly what it was. Our Blake Jensen is also investigating the flash. Jensen spoke with NWS Forecasters, who don’t usually follow astronomical events, and they say one of their forecasters did report seeing the flash traveling in a southerly direction.