By Roger Marsh
Examiner
The National UFO ALERT Rating System has been updated with California, Florida, Texas, Pennsylvania, Illinois and Arizona moving to a UFO Alert 3 as the highest reporting states during the month of January 2012, filed with the Mutual UFO Network (MUFON).
California was the leading high-reporting state in 2011, and returns this month with 90 cases filed over January’s 31 days.
Those states in a UFO Alert 4 category with 13 or more reports include: Georgia, North Carolina, Colorado, New York, Indiana, Utah, New Jersey, Michigan and Tennessee.
All other states move to a UFO Alert 5 category with lower numbers of UFO activity. The Watch States – with 10 or more cases – Virginia, Missouri, Ohio, South Carolina, Connecticut and Washington.
MUFON released January statistics February 1, where the total number of reported UFO sightings is listed by state. The UFO Examiner uses these statistics to rate states. The entire country was moved back to the lowest alert level – UFO Alert 5.
Those states with 13 or more reports, the next reporting tier level, are a UFO Alert 4 status: Georgia, 20 cases; North Carolina, 20 cases; Colorado, 19 cases; New York, 17 cases; Indiana, 15 cases; Utah, 14 cases; New Jersey, 14 cases; Michigan, 14 cases; and Tennessee, 14 cases.
Our Watch States this month are – with 10 reports or more: Virginia, 13 cases; Missouri, 13 cases; Ohio, 12 cases; South Carolina, 12 cases; Connecticut, 12 cases; and Washington, 11 cases.
The sphere remains the most-reported UFO shape with 205 January reports. Other shape reports include: circle, 145; star-like, 137; triangle, 98; disc, 88; fireball, 82; unknown, 74; oval, 71; other, 51; cylinder, 30; cigar, 29; flash, 28; square/rectangular, 23; boomerang, 22; egg, 20; blimp, 12; chevron, 10; diamond, 10; teardrop, 10; bullet/missile, 10; cone, 8; Saturn-like, 8; and cross, 3.
The object’s distance from the witness includes: Less than 100 feet, 81 cases; 101 to 500 feet, 90 cases; 501 feet to one mile, 167 cases; over one mile, 216 cases; unknown, 221; and no value stated, 13.
In addition, there were “18 landings, hovering, or takeoffs reported and 0 entities observed.”
The most interesting UFO reports do not necessarily come from high reporting states – but those states with higher numbers do account for some of the most interesting evidence to study. While UFO sightings seem to pop up randomly around the country, this list is meant to offer a small insight into where Americans are filing reports.