The northern lights were visible in parts of Florida on Nov. 11 after a G4 geomagnetic storm pushed the auroral oval unusually far south. NOAA warned that G4 storms can disrupt power systems and space operations, and initial forecasts for 21 states underestimated how far the lights extended. Observers in Brevard County first captured colors on camera, then saw a naked-eye red glow around 11:30 p.m. Florida last saw similarly widespread auroras in 2024, with earlier notable events in 1989 and 1981.
Rare Auroras Reach Florida: What Happened When a G4 Solar Storm Lit Up the Sunshine State
The northern lights were visible in parts of Florida on Nov. 11 after a G4 geomagnetic storm pushed the auroral oval unusually far south. NOAA warned that G4 storms can disrupt power systems and space operations, and initial forecasts for 21 states underestimated how far the lights extended. Observers in Brevard County first captured colors on camera, then saw a naked-eye red glow around 11:30 p.m. Florida last saw similarly widespread auroras in 2024, with earlier notable events in 1989 and 1981.
11:47 PM, 11/13/2025Science
Rare Auroras Reach Florida
On the night of Tuesday, Nov. 11, a powerful geomagnetic storm pushed the auroral oval unusually far south, producing northern lights that were visible in parts of Florida. The display — seen in shades of red, green and purple — surprised skywatchers and briefly turned familiar night skies into a memorable spectacle.
What caused the show?
NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center tracked the event and rated the disturbance as high as a G4 on its geomagnetic scale, one step below the maximum rating. At that level, NOAA warns the storm's electromagnetic energy can cause "widespread voltage control problems" for ground-based power systems and may disrupt space operations. The same charged particles that created those risks also collided with gases in Earth's upper atmosphere, producing visible light — the aurora borealis.
How auroras form: Electrically charged particles from the sun strike oxygen and nitrogen in Earth's atmosphere. These collisions excite atmospheric atoms and molecules, which release energy as light when they return to lower-energy states. The colors depend on altitude and the type of gas involved.
Where and when were they seen?
NOAA initially forecasted possible views for 21 states, but observers reported auroral activity beyond that prediction, including sightings as far south as Texas, Florida and as unexpectedly inland as Colorado. In Brevard County, posted images showed a reddish-purple cast; colors that were first visible only through smartphone cameras became visible to the naked eye by about 11:30 p.m., despite city light pollution. Reports also placed auroras as far north in Florida as Tallahassee and as far south as the Florida Keys during similar storms in 2024.
How unusual is this for Florida?
Florida's low latitude makes auroras rare there except during severe geomagnetic storms. The Nov. 11 event was the first time since 2024 that widespread auroras were observed in the state. Notable earlier displays include March 1989 (reportedly visible from Jacksonville) and weaker reports from 1981.
Context and safety notes
Power-grid operators and satellite controllers closely monitor G4-class storms because of their potential to affect infrastructure and communications. For skywatchers, extreme events like this offer a rare chance to see auroras at lower latitudes, but they can also indicate elevated space-weather risks.
Sources and credits: NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center; University of Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical Institute. Reporting by Eric Lagatta and contributors William L. Hatfield and Lianna Norman (USA TODAY Network).