Magnetic storm spawns northern lights; could be repeat performance tonight

The biggest solar flare in more than a year is bringing a return of vivid northern lights this week, visible over a large portion of the United States.

NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center issued a watch for a G4 geomagnetic storm on Nov. 11. They said the storm will be severe on Wednesday, strong on Thursday and minor on Friday.

The show started after 7 p.m. on Tuesday night, especially across the Midwest. Locally, WFCN posted dozens of photos of deep pinks, orange and yellow viewed across southern Illinois skies.

"The aurora may be seen as low as Alabama and northern California," the NOAA alert said.

The flare is an X5.1 solar flare, which is the strongest since a X9.0 solar flare in October 2024 that made the northern lights widely visible.

"Space weather forecasters issued a rare Severe (level 4 out of 5) Geomagnetic Storm Watch for Wednesday due to recent CME activity. Another CME was seen blasting out from the sun Tuesday, moving at up to 4.4 million mph," AccuWeather said. "Solar material from this explosion is likely to arrive late Tuesday night or early Wednesday, according to the SWPC, and could set off some aurora across the northern U.S. before the bigger event arrives Wednesday."

The northern lights are typically most visible between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. according to NOAA. According to the 3-day forecast by the Space Prediction Center, the best time to see this storm is likely between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m.

Photos on your cell phone will be even more colorful than viewing the lights with the naked eye.

To see the Northern Lights through your phone, turn off the flash, enable "Night Mode" or "Astro Mode" on your camera, and point it toward the north. Use a tripod or steady surface to keep the phone still, as this allows for a longer exposure and will capture more light and color that may not be visible otherwise.


(Photo WFCN Facebook)