Solar Storm Sets Stage for Southern Lights Show

Get ready for a stunning light show! A massive explosion from the sun is about to make the northern lights dance in unlikely places. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicts that plasma from the sun will hit Earth, causing a strong geomagnetic storm. This storm will make the skies light up with colorful auroras, potentially visible as far south as Alabama and Northern California. These light shows happen when the sun has a tantrum, throwing big clouds of plasma into space. When these clouds hit Earth, they collide with our magnetic field. This interaction creates the beautiful auroras we see.

The best views will likely be in Canada and some northern U.S. states like Alaska, Washington, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. But if you're in Northern California, Nevada, Oklahoma, Alabama, Ohio, Pennsylvania, or New York, you might also catch a glimpse of the action. This week's solar storm is the strongest since May 10, when the NOAA saw an even bigger and rarer storm. Before May, they hadn't seen such a severe storm since 2005.

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