Did you see the northern lights last night in the Bay Area? Locals spotted pink, purple, red, and green hues lighting up the skies throughout the evening.
Social media has been filled with photos of the phenomenon around San Ramon, San Rafael, Sonoma, Novato, and more.
The aurora borealis effect was caused by a geomagnetic storm. Here’s a closer look at the phenomenon…
What happened during the geomagnetic storm?
Last night’s northern lights were caused by powerful solar eruptions and coronal mass ejections from the sun. When charged particles from these eruptions interact with Earth’s magnetic field and atmosphere, they emit visible light, A.K.A. the northern lights. The phenomenon can also disrupt GPS and power systems on Earth.
The NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center alerted to the storm last night, remarking that severe (G4) geomagnetic levels were reached, and predicting aurora visibility “as far south as Alabama to northern California.”
The colorful skies seen last night are extraordinarily rare in the Bay Area, and were one of the most vivid displays seen here in decades.
What’s the situation now?
On Wednesday morning, the NOAA reported G3 (strong) levels with the possibility of G4 (severe) levels, writing: “The threat is expected to remain throughout the day as another disturbance is expected to arrive around midday (EST) on the 12th.”
Northern Canada and Alaska are very likely to see the northern lights again tonight. The U.S. states with a chance of seeing the phenomenon again are Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Iowa, Michigan, Illinois, New York, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine.
The storm is expected to continue through Friday.
How can I stay informed?
The NOAA recommends keeping an eye on their webpage at SpaceWeather.gov for the latest conditions and daily maps of the anticipated aurora view line.