A powerful solar flare and the strongest one recorded so far in 2025 could make the northern lights visible over parts of North Carolina tonight and Wednesday evening.
The NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center has placed a G4 geomagnetic storm watch in effect for November 11. This rare sight is expected to reach severe levels on November 12, strong levels on November 13, and minor levels on November 14.
The light display, however, could start as soon as tonight! With clear skies expected for the next few nights North Carolinians might get an opportunity to see the shimmering lights.
A pair of coronal mass ejections release a massive burst of energy and plasma from the Sun, sometimes called solar flares. Those soler flares are currently on their way toward Earth.
When these CMEs interact with Earth’s magnetic field, they generate a geomagnetic storm. The more intense the storm, the farther south the northern lights can be visible.
WHEN CAN YOU SEE IT ACROSS OUR 22 COUNTIES?
If you’re hoping to catch a glimpse, head away from city lights and look north after 10 or 11 p.m. tonight. Using your phone’s night mode feature will give you the best chance to capture the display, as the aurora is too faint to see with the naked eye.
Chief Meteorologist Janessa Webb says, “A second solar flare is also on its way and could spark additional aurora activity Wednesday night, and I think that will be our best chance to see the dancing sky.”
