Aurora Possible For Alabama, California As ‘severe’ Geomagnetic Storm Heads To Earth

“Aurora possible for Alabama, California as ‘severe’ geomagnetic storm heads to Earth”

A photographer near Varna, Illinois captured the Northern Lights during a geomagnetic storm on Tuesday, March 25, 2025.

A photographer close to Varna, Illinois captured the Northern Lights throughout a geomagnetic storm on Tuesday, March 25, 2025.

A “severe” geomagnetic storm could also be brewing early subsequent week, and plenty of People throughout the nation – maybe even so far as the Deep South – could also be handled to a uncommon show of the Northern Lights, in keeping with NOAA’s House Climate Prediction Heart.

A strong coronal mass ejection (CME), which is a burst of photo voltaic materials and magnetic fields from the Solar, erupted on Friday night time, triggering a Extreme Geomagnetic Storm Watch, the SWPC mentioned.

WHAT IS A GEOMAGNETIC STORM?

The CME will attain Earth on Sunday, when it’s anticipated to supply geomagnetic storms inflicting disruptions to the planet’s magnetosphere.

The Sun, from Saturday. Imaged by GOES-19 SUVI Composite 195 Angstroms.

The Solar, from Saturday. Imaged by GOES-19 SUVI Composite 195 Angstroms.

(House Climate Prediction Heart / FOX Climate)

The SWPC issued a degree G3 out of 5 (Sturdy) Geomagnetic Storm Look ahead to Sunday, and upgraded it to a level G4 (Severe) Geomagnetic Storm Watch for Sunday night time into early Monday morning.

There may be even a chance the storm could reach “Extreme” G5 levels, which had been the degrees reached through the epic occasion on Might 10, 2024, that unfold the Northern Lights to Florida and the Caribbean, in keeping with the SWPC.

WHAT ARE THE 5 CATEGORIES THAT MEASURE GEOMAGNETIC STORMS?

Whereas sturdy geomagnetic storms are innocent to human well being, potential impacts embrace widespread issues with voltage management, together with some points with the facility grid. Moreover, spacecraft may even see issues, corresponding to low Earth orbit satellites experiencing elevated drag. Excessive-frequency radio alerts could also be disrupted.

FILE: Northern lights (Aurora Borealis) illuminate the sky in Alaska’s Eklutna Tailrace, United States on March 09, 2025.

(Hasan Akbas / Anadolu / Getty Photos)

On the aesthetic facet of issues, the geomagnetic storm is predicted to supply an aurora that will likely be seen over a lot of the northern half of the U.S., with among the shows probably dipping down as far south as Alabama and northern California.

The forecast appears favorable throughout a lot of the U.S., and even within the South apart from the Desert Southwest, the place remnants of Tropical Storm Alvin are bringing clouds and storms.