Colorful auroras could be visible in unexpected regions of the United States, such as Alabama and Northern California, due to a powerful solar flare and coronal mass ejection from the sun, according to the National Weather Service’s Space Weather Prediction Center. This severe geomagnetic storm, initially rated a level 4 out of 5, could also disrupt communications, power grids, and satellite operations.
The storm reached Earth at 11:17 a.m. ET on Thursday and may last through Friday. The storm was measured moving at 1.5 million miles per hour, reaching satellites orbiting 1 million miles from Earth about 15 to 30 minutes prior to its arrival on Earth. Scientists have observed a series of intense X-class solar flares this week, accompanied by coronal mass ejections.
NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory captured this image of a solar flare — seen as the bright flash in the center of the sun’s disk — on October 8. SDO/NASA
As the sun nears its solar maximum, it is becoming more active, leading to more auroras appearing around Earth’s poles. The Space Weather Prediction Center has notified agencies such as FEMA and the North American power grid to prepare for potential disruptions. While G4 storms are common during a solar cycle, there is a 25% chance that this storm could escalate to a rare G5 level, which would make auroras visible across southern states and other parts of the world.
Although this storm is not expected to exceed the intensity of a similar event in May, scientists continue to monitor the increased solar activity. They emphasize that such events could occur through this year and into 2026 as the sun’s activity peaks.
