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Aurora alert: Severe geomagnetic storm could spark northern lights as far south as Alabama and northern California tonight

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By Daisy Dobrijevic published 10 hours ago

Attention aurora chasers! Powerful geomagnetic storm conditions could trigger northern lights at mid-latitudes tonight as a coronal mass ejection impact is imminent.


Northern lights over Higgins Lake, Michigan. (Image credit: Wiltser via Getty Images)

Space weather forecasters are warning of a strong (G3) geomagnetic storm, with a chance it could reach severe (G4) levels, thanks to a blast of solar material heading straight for Earth. That could mean vibrant northern lights illuminating the night sky as far south as Oregon, Illinois, and potentially even deeper into mid-latitudes like Alabama and northern California tonight.

The incoming coronal mass ejection (CME) — a vast plume of solar material — erupted from the sun in the early hours of May 31, it is currently hurtling towards us at astonishing speeds.

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