The aurora borealis can also be seen as far south as Texas and Florida.
A powerful geomagnetic storm has hit Earth’s atmosphere, sparking the aurora borealis that shines across multiple states.
On Tuesday, November 11, aurora borealis flashed across the skies over much of North America as a result of a powerful geomagnetic storm.
Magnetic storms occur when coronal mass ejected from the Sun’s surface reaches the Earth’s atmosphere. The eruption that sparked the bright activity on Nov. 11 spewed out of the sun earlier in the week, according to the Space Weather Prediction Center in Boulder, Colorado.
Light shows were also seen in Texas, Colorado, Florida and other states that NOAA had not initially predicted. ”“The aurora doesn’t have to be directly overhead, but if it’s bright and the conditions are right, it can be seen from up to 600 miles away,” NOAA’s website states.
The Space Weather Prediction Center warned on Wednesday, November 12, that the strong event could impact power grids and communications, and that some GPS signals could be disrupted as the event continues. It may also mean a night when colors dance in the sky on the northern horizon.
At least 21 states could see the aurora borealis, according to forecast maps from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the view could last into the early morning hours of Wednesday, Nov. 12. According to NOAA, the northern lights are usually best visible one to two hours before midnight.
Parts of about 18 states are partially or completely within NOAA’s aurora forecast “view line” for Nov. 12. The view line marks the southernmost point where the aurora can be seen on the northern horizon.
Here are some photos of the Northern Lights from around the country.
The photo shows the aurora borealis shining in the night sky
This story has been updated to add new information.
Contributor: Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA TODAY
Gabe Hauari is USA TODAY’s national trends news reporter. You can follow him at X @gabehauari Or email Gdhauari@gannett.com.
