Wtf something super weird just happened

[Greg Bernhardt]

Either I am going flippin crazy or something big just happened and I need an explanation. So I'm sitting at my computer watching a chill movie. Just 5min ago two flashes of a greenish blue light occurred outside my window. The light was apparent, it wasn't sort of there, it was there and fairly bright, but there was no apparent source of light or direction. Furthermore my kitchen lights crackled and went on and off for a few seconds. However my living room and computer didn't flinch. Right now it's midnight and we're having a bit of a snow storm. There was no sound from the light. The light was sort of a haze, not lightning, it didn't light anything up, rather like a midst of color. I am maybe 10ft from the window on a 2nd floor facing the street. There were no cars on the road so it wasn't a cop car. I am flipped out. wtf was that. I swear at the time I thought it was the apocalypse or aliens. Help me explain this. I don't get it.

 

[WarPhalange]

Your kitchen and living room are probably connected to different breakers. I know that's how it is in my house.

How fast did the flashes occur? Was it a flash like a flash of lighting, or a flash like when a car drives by your house and the light from its headlights gradually gets brighter in the room and then dims?

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

Within about 2 seconds of each other. Super sure it wasn't a car or lightning as I'd hear it.

 

[WarPhalange]

I was just asking how fast it was since that will narrow it down a bit. If it's snowing, it could have pulled on some power lines maybe? Some sparks flying, but not enough to blow anything?

 

[LURCH]

That's what it sounds like to me; a power line or transforner arching, but not failing completely. If some rooms in your building were effected, but others were not, then it was probably something that happened just to your building. Not to be alarmist, but if you're reading this right now, perhaps you should take a look at the side of your house (from otuside), and make sure there's no smoke or anything.

If you don't read this 'till tomorrow, and the house is still standing, then never mind.

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

That's what it sounds like to me; a power line or transforner arching, but not failing completely. If some rooms in your building were effected, but others were not, then it was probably something that happened just to your building. Not to be alarmist, but if you're reading this right now, perhaps you should take a look at the side of your house (from otuside), and make sure there's no smoke or anything.

If you don't read this 'till tomorrow, and the house is still standing, then never mind.

Could be. I live in an apt building facing the road on the 2nd floor. The light spanned across my windows facing the road which totals about 12ft, but again it had no direction, it was all at once. No utilities vans outside. hmmm weird

 

[Anticitizen]

I was driving in a heavy rainstorm earlier this year, and while I was sitting at a traffic light, a shower of sparks suddenly rained down from the utility pole above me, over my windshield and hood of my car. There were no other cars around so I just took off and ran the light. Pretty alarming! In any case, it was a blue/greenish light like what you described.

I think copper gives off that particular color when being burnt/oxidized/whatever.

 

[gareth]

If you are on the second floor are you level with the power lines?

I've seen power lines arching before, but it is very distinct, lightning sparks etc. Maybe there was a line arching very close to your window and the light from the plasma scattered off the snow, giving a glowing effect with no apparent source.

Secondly, computers are usually protected from these kinds of things, chokes, batteries etc. Your kitchen and living room are probably on different circuits which may have been effected by the electrical surge or emi.

What you're describing sounds like the Aurora Borealis.

Could it be that some electrical fault gave a once in a lifetime look at the Northern lights in a city? (by ionizing the air somehow)

Far fetched I know, but it definatley sounds like something major happened by the tone of your post.

 

[dlgoff]

When snow builds up on power lines, they can sag. Maybe one saged into a tree limb causing the power source to arc. Once it arced, the snow was cleared and the tree limb burned off hence restoring the power. Breakers at the distribution substations have "reclosers" that can be set to try to close after interruption. Usually, I think, they are set to try 3 times before locking out.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

It could be snow falling from a tree onto a power line.

What kind of lights do you have in the kitchen?

 

[thaddeus]

When the Electric Buses used to travel the street we lived on , in Winter , when it froze we would to stay awake just to watch the sparks fly from the overhead rails .. they were often Blue Green - and really quite spectacular .

 

[GCT]

Either I am going flippin crazy or something big just happened and I need an explanation. So I'm sitting at my computer watching a chill movie. Just 5min ago two flashes of a greenish blue light occurred outside my window. The light was apparent, it wasn't sort of there, it was there and fairly bright, but there was no apparent source of light or direction. Furthermore my kitchen lights crackled and went on and off for a few seconds. However my living room and computer didn't flinch. Right now it's midnight and we're having a bit of a snow storm. There was no sound from the light. The light was sort of a haze, not lightning, it didn't light anything up, rather like a midst of color. I am maybe 10ft from the window on a 2nd floor facing the street. There were no cars on the road so it wasn't a cop car. I am flipped out. wtf was that. I swear at the time I thought it was the apocalypse or aliens. Help me explain this. I don't get it.

Isn't this like the third time that this phenomena was mentioned at PF?

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

It could be snow falling from a tree onto a power line.

What kind of lights do you have in the kitchen?

When the Electric Buses used to travel the street we lived on , in Winter , when it froze we would to stay awake just to watch the sparks fly from the overhead rails .. they were often Blue Green - and really quite spectacular .

They are 50w halogen for track.

That sounds likely thaddeus. I bet that happened and the misty nature of the light due to the snowstorm. Thanks!