Magnificent northern lights to return as potentially historic extreme solar storm unfolds this week
A severe geomagnetic storm dazzled the U.S. with colorful auroras Tuesday night — even reaching Florida and Texas. More displays could light up the sky this week, potentially reaching extreme levels not seen since May 2024.
Thanks to the strongest solar flare of 2025, the northern lights were visible even into southern parts of the U.S. on the night of Nov. 11, creating a stunning display in the night sky.
Displays of northern lights wowed skygazers across the United States on Tuesday night, reaching as far south as Florida and Texas. And the solar storm isn’t over yet with more auroras and space weather impacts lasting through the week.
Tuesday’s Severe Geomagnetic Storm stuns Southeast US
Active areas of the sun blasted waves of charged particles, known as coronal mass ejections (CME), toward Earth this week, with two arriving on Tuesday. The result was a Severe (G4) Geomagnetic Storm, a rare level 4 out of 5 event on NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) scale.
The solar storm sent waves of green, red and purple auroras across the night sky. While northern lights are typically only seen near Earth’s poles, a severe solar storm like this week's can trigger stronger, more widespread northern lights.
Residents in Florida and across the Southeast were surprised to see faint purple lights, which appeared even more pronounced through smartphone cameras.
In the Midwest and Northwest, the sky was on fire with reports of bright red overhead aurora. The lights are best viewed by looking north, but on Tuesday, because of the intensity and the direction of the storms, the aurora could be viewed from nearly every direction for some.
Will the northern lights be visible on Wednesday night?
Those who missed Tuesday’s stunning display may get another chance soon. Forecasters with the SWPC say severe solar storming is expected to continue through Wednesday night and into Thursday.
Another CME is expected to arrive on Wednesday with potentially strong to severe impacts similar to that of Tuesday night. If elevated geomagnetic activity continues after sunset, those in the lower latitudes could once again be treated to the northern lights.
Space weather forecasters are expecting another level 4 out of 5 event throughout Wednesday with the potential to reach extreme (G5) levels not seen since last May’s solar storm that produced global auroras.
What are the impacts of a solar storm?
Space weather events can impact the power grid, satellites and GPS systems and cause radio blackouts.
According to the SWPC, Tuesday's flare caused a “wide-area blackout of HF radio communication for about an hour” when it peaked around 5 a.m. ET.
Under severe storm conditions, voltage control issues can occur in power systems, leading to tracking problems for spacecraft operators.
Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket stands vertical on the launchpad in Cape Canaveral, Florida on Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025. (Image: Blue Origin)
The heightened solar activity also affected spaceflight operations. Blue Origin delayed the second launch of its New Glenn rocket, which was scheduled to carry two NASA satellites to Mars on Wednesday. NASA opted to postpone the liftoff due to concerns about satellite drag and potential impacts to the mission.
“New Glenn is ready to launch. However, due to highly elevated solar activity and its potential effects on the ESCAPADE spacecraft, NASA is postponing launch until space weather conditions improve,” Blue Origin wrote on X. “We are currently assessing opportunities to establish our next launch window based on forecasted space weather and range availability.
SWPC forecasters have notified operators of the power grid, radio and satellites to help them mitigate any impacts.
How to view the northern lights
The Aurora Borealis lights up the night sky over Monroe, Wisconsin, on November 11, 2025, during one of the strongest solar storms in decades. (Photo by Ross Harried/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Faint auroras are best viewed under a dark sky away from city lights. However, during severe or extreme events like the one forecast this week, auroras can sometimes be visible even from brightly lit urban areas.
On Tuesday, people in Chicago, Boston and Denver reported glowing skies from downtown locations. For those farther south, dark, open areas remain ideal for viewing. If the aurora isn’t visible to the naked eye, using a camera or smartphone’s night mode can help reveal faint colors.
Photographers in Florida used long exposure settings to capture delicate purple hues during Tuesday’s display — a rare sight for the Sunshine State.
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