The sun has hurled multiple coronal mass ejections that have lit up U.S. skies with auroras as far south as Florida, producing vivid red, purple and green displays. NOAA reports two CMEs have already struck, pushing the geomagnetic storm to G4, and a third, stronger CME could raise activity further — possibly to G5. Officials warn of possible power fluctuations, GPS degradation and intermittent radio outages and urge the public and operators to monitor NOAA SWPC updates.
Geomagnetic Storm Sparks Northern Lights as Far South as Florida — NOAA Warns of Power, GPS and Radio Disruptions
The sun has hurled multiple coronal mass ejections that have lit up U.S. skies with auroras as far south as Florida, producing vivid red, purple and green displays. NOAA reports two CMEs have already struck, pushing the geomagnetic storm to G4, and a third, stronger CME could raise activity further — possibly to G5. Officials warn of possible power fluctuations, GPS degradation and intermittent radio outages and urge the public and operators to monitor NOAA SWPC updates.
11:04 PM, 11/12/2025Science
Vivid Auroras Light Up U.S. Skies as Solar Eruption Continues
A surge of energized particles from the sun is producing brilliant auroras visible as far south as Florida, painting skies red, purple and green over states including Alabama, Ohio and Texas. Forecasters at NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) say the event is strong enough to cause some radio outages and other temporary disruptions.
What happened: Two coronal mass ejections (CMEs) have already struck Earth’s magnetosphere, producing a geomagnetic storm that reached G4 — the second-highest level on the five-step geomagnetic scale. A third, potentially stronger CME was expected to arrive on Wednesday afternoon, raising the possibility the storm could briefly reach G5, the highest level.
How auroras form: A CME is a massive cloud of protons, electrons and magnetic fields hurled from the sun’s outer atmosphere. When it collides with Earth’s magnetic field it energizes particles in the upper atmosphere, producing the colorful light displays known as the aurora borealis (Northern Hemisphere) and aurora australis (Southern Hemisphere).
“The magnetic field from the passing CMEs is about eight times stronger than normal and is currently oriented in a way that favors continued activity,” said Shawn Dahl, a forecaster at NOAA’s SWPC in Boulder, Colorado, in a video posted on X.
Potential impacts: SWPC issued a rare high-level watch and warned the geomagnetic storm could cause power fluctuations, degrade GPS signals and create intermittent radio outages; in some cases, radios may be knocked out during the disturbance. Utilities, satellite operators and navigation-dependent services were advised to monitor conditions and take precautions if needed.
Early Wednesday, SWPC said it believes the "heart" of the current CME — the magnetic cloud — is passing over Earth and will continue through the overnight hours. With a third CME expected, auroras could become visible even farther south than they already have been.
What you can do: Stay updated via NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center, follow local utility and emergency alerts, and avoid relying on GPS for critical navigation while the storm is active. Most effects are temporary, but sensitive electronics and services may be affected during peak activity.
Credit: NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center. This report summarizes SWPC advisories and statements by forecasters.