Will Aurora Borealis be visible in Texas? Where to see Northern Lights

A rare, severe geomagnetic storm is expected to trigger auroras, potentially allowing residents of the northernmost parts of Texas to witness the spectacle with the naked eye. The Northern Lights may be visible from Thursday night to early Sunday morning.

This follows a powerful geomagnetic storm in May – the first to reach G4 strength since 2005 – that made the aurora visible across all of the contiguous United States and extended as far south as Central Texas.

Why did solar activity increase in 2024?

As the current solar cycle nears its peak, space researchers have predicted that residents across the United States can expect an increase in breathtaking celestial displays by next summer.

Electromagnetic activity on the Sun is increasing as it approaches the peak of its 11-year solar cycle, which NASA estimates will peak in 2025. This period, known as solar maximum, brings with it an increase in sunspots – highly magnetized areas on the sun's surface. When these areas release accumulated energy, they create solar flares that NASA calls the most powerful explosion events in our solar system, USA TODAY reported.