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Clear skies make a perfect backdrop for Aurora Borealis
Conditions were just right for checking out this natural phenomena, and KARE 11 viewers took full advantage.
GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. — There are those amazing moments when ingredients come together just right and something amazing happens.
Think the best dinner you ever whipped up… or a team you played on that defied odds and won a championship.
Well, that was the scenario last night in the skies over Minnesota, when conditions aligned to create the most spectacular display of the Northern Lights in recent memory.
KARE 11’s John Zeigler said a geomagnetic storm ramped up that was strong enough to see from the far north to as far south as the Twin Cities. He explained that geomagnetic storm are assigned a KP index from 0 to 9. Whenever a storm’s KP value gets over 5, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said “aurora will move even further from the poles and will become quite bright and active. At this geomagnetic activity level, it might be possible to see the aurora from the northern edge of the United States.”
Zeigler said the value of last night’s storm reached around 6, which made for some spectacular sights – some of which our viewers captured with their cameras.
Wowza! Northern Lights put on spectacular display across Minnesota
Skies were also completely clear, with a moon of only 39 percent – darker skies make for better viewing, especially in the city where light pollution can dull the effects of the Northern Lights.
Making things even more spectacular was a Perseid meteor shower streaking across the lights. Zeigler said it was an active situation, with up to 100 meteor sightings per hour. Sky & Telescope described it as a Perseid meteor shower dipped in Aurora sauce.
Last week, prosecutors charged John Sawchak with attempted 2nd-degree murder and other felony charges after he allegedly shot his neighbor Davis Moturi.
MINNEAPOLIS — Following the shooting between two neighbors, the Minneapolis City Council voted unanimously to request that the city’s auditor conduct an independent investigation into the incidents and cases between Davis Moturi and John Sawchak.
Moturi was allegedly shot by his neighbor, Sawchak, on Wednesday, Oct. 23 but Minneapolis police did not arrest Sawchak until days later.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara defended not arresting Sawchak sooner, calling it a “high-risk” situation. O’Hara later said the victim, who had complained about harassment from Sawchak for months, was failed by police. Sawchak was arrested this past weekend after an hours-long standoff.
Moturi suffered a fractured spine, two broken ribs, and a concussion in the shooting. “Mr. Moturi’s life matters and I’m sorry that for nearly a year, MPD did not treat it like it did,” said Council Member Robin Wonsley in a news release, “Today’s vote affirms that the City Council is committed to taking meaningful actions towards accountability and restoration, starting with this independent review.”
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey released this statement:
“Mayor Frey fully supports an independent review of this incident. The mayor and City are committed to always doing better, and this means closely examining past actions and finding where there may be ways to improve and grow. The mayor extends his condolences to Davis Moturi, his wife, Caroline, and their family and friends. The safety of our residents is a top priority and any form of violence or hate speech is completely unacceptable and does not align with who we are as a community. Brian O’Hara will continue to be the Minneapolis Police Chief.”
“This Valentine’s Day, 2025, will mark the five-year anniversary of the premiere of ‘Love is Blind,” Vanessa said on the Season 7 finale. “And, it is gonna be the launch of Season 8, which takes place in Minneapolis.”
The episode also revealed three of the new cast members, one of whom, “Alex,” told Lachey Minneapolis is “not like a major city, but it’s also not a small town,” which he said is just one of the obstacles in his way of finding the one.
“I just never found the right person that clicked for me,” he said.
Meantime, you can bone up on Seasons 1-7 streaming now on Netflix.
MINNEAPOLIS — How much do you know about your grandma’s upbringing?
“The Stories From My Grandmother’s Hands” is a book that aims to show young Black children how their grandmas lived through beautiful illustrations and descriptions.
KARE 11 News at Noon shared more on Thursday about the impact that this book will have.
