UFO Sightings in California
15,215 UFO sightings reported in California since 1935, peaking in 2014 (869 reports); most often described as light.
- Total sightings
- 15,215
- Span
- 1935–2028
- Peak year
- 2014 (869 reports)
- Dominant shape
- Light
1935–2028 · peak 2014 (869 reports)
Top cities in California
Los Angeles
1942–2022 · peak 2007 (29 reports)
San Diego
1944–2022 · peak 2007 (32 reports)
Sacramento
1956–2022 · peak 2012 (26 reports)
San Jose
1947–2022 · peak 2012 (21 reports)
San Francisco
1956–2021 · peak 2008 (26 reports)
Fresno
1953–2022 · peak 2014 (18 reports)
Long Beach
1957–2022 · peak 2017 (13 reports)
Bakersfield
1961–2022 · peak 1995 (13 reports)
Santa Rosa
1955–2022 · peak 2015 (10 reports)
Santa Barbara
1968–2022 · peak 2020 (12 reports)
Riverside
1976–2020 · peak 2008 (11 reports)
Modesto
1947–2021 · peak 2009 (13 reports)
Redding
1986–2022 · peak 2012 (10 reports)
Burbank
1981–2021 · peak 2003 (24 reports)
Huntington Beach
1945–2020 · peak 2012 (8 reports)
Anaheim
1963–2020 · peak 2015 (12 reports)
Ventura
1967–2021 · peak 2012 (13 reports)
El Cajon
1969–2022 · peak 2014 (14 reports)
Irvine
1980–2022 · peak 2007 (18 reports)
Oakland
1968–2022 · peak 2003 (6 reports)
Altadena · CA, USA
A series of bright orange lights appeared in a line, floated up and disappeared near Pasadena, CA. ((NUFORC Note: Parachutists?? PD))
San Diego · CA, USA
Silver orb hovering over San Diego.
Vista · CA, USA
Got a call this morning from my boyfriend stating that there was a really bright star. ((NUFORC Note: Probably Venus. PD))
Cathedral City · CA, USA
3 orange orbs in the southern California night sky.
Baker · CA, USA
Saw lights flashing in sky above mountains.
San Pedro · CA, USA
V-shaped formation of lights over Long Beach /Orange County area.
Perris · CA, USA
Three white or metallic spheres flying in a modified triangular formation
San Rafael · CA, USA
Large orange dark object seen over S.F. Bay
Fontana · CA, USA
Saw flashing lights reflecting on my window, it stopped flashing and took the shape of a fireball that dropped smaller flashing lights.
San Mateo · CA, USA
Plane like object splitting into 4 pieces on fire, then coming straight down in sky together, seen by other plane which turned around,
Hawthorne · CA, USA
two lights almost as if fighting each other. Red ligh move almost in aquatic manner, then burned out like signal flare. white light s
Gilroy · CA, USA
I got out of my truck and looked at this flair like someone was holding a flash light in the sky. ((NUFORC Note: Rocket launch. PD))
Castro Valley · CA, USA
A strange craft in the night sky with white and colored lights is just hanging over southern Alameda county. It is not moving but high
Petaluma · CA, USA
Within the skies during the beginning of this given time frame: small orb-like circle is summoned. 2 still diamond shape figures are af
Cloverdate · CA, USA
White orb composed of strings of light in rural mountainous area of Sonoma Co., CA. ((NUFORC Note: Rocket launch. PD))
Lake California (Cottonwood) · CA, USA
Two bright cone shaped cloud like patterns trailing very bright object flying, pausing. ((NUFORC Note: Launch of Falcon 9. PD))
Long Beach · CA, USA
I saw at least a dozen people pointing up to the sky; pointing and gasping. ((NUFORC Note: Launch of the Falcon 9 rocket. PD))
Sacramento · CA, USA
Bright, square white light, flared, then dissolved. ((NUFORC Note: Rocket launch??? PD))
Stockton · CA, USA
Big light able to maneuver. Made no sound. ((NUFORC Note: Launch of the Falcon 9 rocket. PD))
Hayward/San Lorenzo · CA, USA
This thing was brighter, bigger, more in the distance, looked as if it was surrounded by smoke. ((NUFORC Note: Falcon 9 launch. PD))
San Pedro · CA, USA
weird lights in the sky of san pedro last night. I have pictures if i can only upload them. ((NUFORC Note: Rocket launch. PD))
La Quinta · CA, USA
3 lights emanating from 1 source, forming a triangle in the sky, moving from the N to the SW. Then-just disappear ((anonymous rept.))
Walnut Creek · CA, USA
Extremely bight light in the night sky that slowly moved away was able to light up a large area with two beams
Cathedral City · CA, USA
strange light with arck-like light lighting up sky, stayed stationary for approx 4/5 min then seem to fall slowly out of sight... not a
Sebastopol · CA, USA
((NUFORC Note: Launch of Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg AFB. PD))