Idahoans get rare chance to see northern lights

ST. ANTHONY (KIFI) - Hundreds of people flocked to the St. Anthony Sand Dunes late Friday night to see the northern lights.

The aurora borealis does not typically reach Idaho. However, the most powerful geomagnetic storm since 2005 gave Gem State residents a rare glimpse at the phenomenon.

Multiple parking lots were full and the surrounding streets were lined with cars by 11 p.m. A sizable majority of sky-watchers, including everyone Local News 8 approached, were students at BYU-Idaho.

“There’s a good amount of people out here on the dunes,” Emily Quizhpe said. “And then we come here and it’s pitch black out!"

Despite clear skies, the aurora borealis did not appear until much later than observers expected.

“We were hoping it was just light pollution in Rexburg,” Renn Helm explained, “so we thought, ‘Hey, maybe we’ll see ‘em better at the dunes.’”

“We were just thinking of some dark places we could find, and we thought, ‘Hey, the dunes might be a good place,’” added Bodie Sorensen.

“We heard there was gonna be some sweet lights,” said Ben Jones. “We haven’t seen anything yet. There’s a lot of headlights.”

“And that’s the only lights we’re getting,” Jones’s companion Camrynn Clark chirped.

“But it’s okay,” Quizhpe said. “Y’know, we’re here, we’re still gonna have a good time."

“It’s been fun hanging out, but I’m kinda disappointed I didn’t see the lights that were supposed to be out,” Helm continued.

Local News 8 asked Quizhpe’s dozen-strong friend group if the experience would be the same without the northern lights.

“Well, that’s what we came here for,” Armando Balcazar said with a shrug.

“But we’re Latinos!” a friend exclaimed to laughter.

“We’ll make it work!” Quizhpe added. “We adapt!”

Local News 8 jokingly asked the group if there’s anything they’d like to say to Mother Nature.

“Yeah,” one person said to more laughter. “Why?”

“I wanna see some lights!” Clark exclaimed.

“Show us the lights!” Jones added.

“At least a little bit?” Helm pleaded. “Please?”

Their pleas did not fall on deaf ears. The sky suddenly lit up around 11:57 p.m., stretching ribbons of green and pink across the starry canvas.

“It was, like, boom,” Kyle Mortensen said. “It just started showing up. It was amazing ‘cause you could see it with the naked eye.”

Local News 8 found Helm again once the lights appeared and asked if he was finally satisfied.

“Oh, I’m really happy now,” he said, laughing. “Now I’m good. Now I’ve seen ‘em.”

Observers kept their irises, those in both their eyes and their cameras, locked towards the sky. But memories have to be created before they can be captured. Balcazar and Quizhpe’s group seized the moment by starting a small bonfire.

“It was totally worth it,” Quizhpe asserted.