Northern lights in Florida? There's a chance tonight

Geomagnetic storm may cause colorful auroras over US

A powerful geomagnetic storm caused by a solar flare could bring colorful auroras to regions as far south as Alabama and Northern California on Thursday evening, October 10. The storm, rated a level 4 out of 5 by the National Weather Service's Space Weather Prediction Center, is expected to produce aurora borealis well beyond its typical range. Triggered by a coronal mass ejection (CME) from the sun, the storm is moving toward Earth at more than 2.5 million miles per hour. It could also disrupt communications, power grids and satellite systems. The solar activity responsible includes a series of X-class solar flares, the most intense type, which erupted earlier this week. As Earth approaches solar maximum, a peak in the Sun's 11-year cycle of activity, geomagnetic storms like this one are becoming more common. Auroras occur when particles from solar storms interact with gases in the Earth's atmosphere, creating vibrant displays of light in the sky. The storm is expected to hit Earth between Thursday morning and midday, with impacts possibly lasting through Friday. If it escalates to the highest level, G5, auroras could be visible in the more southern states. Sky watchers can use the Space Weather Prediction Center's Aurora dashboard to get real-time updates about where the lights will appear. Even if the display is not visible to the naked eye, cell phone cameras can capture the spectacle.

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