Solar storm could push northern lights south to Alabama

A severe geomagnetic storm is moving toward Earth this week, and it might bring the aurora borealis to places that almost never see it. NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center is forecasting conditions favorable enough for the northern lights to be visible as far south as parts of Alabama, California, and New Jersey—a rare gift for people who've never had a clear shot at the phenomenon.

The culprit is a significant solar flare that erupted earlier this week. According to NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center Service Coordinator Shawn Dahl, it ranks as the sixth largest solar flare of the current solar cycle and sits among the top 39 ever recorded in the space age. What matters more than its size, though, is its position. The associated coronal mass ejection—the wave of charged particles heading our way—is angled favorably toward Earth, making it more likely to trigger the kind of geomagnetic disturbance that pushes auroras further south than usual.

Tonight could offer a glimpse if you're in northern states like Kentucky or Minnesota. But tomorrow night is when the real show might happen. If conditions hold, people across a broad swath of the country—from the Pacific Northwest through the Upper Midwest and down the East Coast—could step outside and see green or red curtains of light dancing overhead. Even parts of the Deep South have a genuine chance.

The catch: you need clear skies and minimal light pollution. Cities won't work. Head away from streetlights, find an open space facing north, and let your eyes adjust for 20 or 30 minutes. If you want to capture it on camera, The Aurora Guy recommends using time-lapse recording and keeping all lights off—even a brief car headlight will ruin the shot.

Geomagnetic storms of this magnitude don't happen often, and southern auroras are even rarer. If you're in the forecast zone and the clouds cooperate, tomorrow night is worth staying up for.