There was a darkness similar to this in the northeastern US in the 1800's. It is widely speculated this was caused by a massive forrest fire in
Canada.

But the other thing it reminded me of was the film The Trueman
Show, just when you mentioned like the sky looked like it had almost "cracked"she was at her grandmothers farm with a few family members and they heard a almighty bang everyone was startled and her aunt started crying and everyone huddled together she looked at the calender on the wall it showed the date of 13/08/08. it was dark out side and she went out and looked at the sky she saw stars faintly in the sky next minute she said that a bright white whirlpool appeared in the sky and started to suck the stars into it, she could see through the other side and saw people looking up at it screaming and being sucked in buildings cars, a carnival that was happening somewhere just disintegrating. earthquakes over the world.
she then said that there was triangle ships in the sky and that we where trying to get supplies and store food and making hideouts.