There are many days I am thankful to be living closer to the equator. Yesterday was not one of them.
According to Washington Post, Sunday’s showing of the northern lights may have been one of the most widespread displays since 2003. The aurora borealis, created as energized particles from the sun slam into the Earth’s atmosphere (a magnetic field protects us from onslaught of energy), usually are only seen in the Arctic and Antarctic regions. That’s because the magnetic field redirects the energy to the poles. Sometimes, however, if a “geomagnetic storm” occurs, then the lights can be seen at mid-latitudes. Yesterday was one of those days.
NOAA put out the alert that a G4 magnetic storm was affecting Earth on Sunday, thanks to a coronal mass ejection. These kinds of storms can result in “widespread voltage control problems,” according to the National Weather Service. It can also affect low-Earth orbiting satellites. But most notably, it creates a brilliant multi-colored light display that dances across the sky. As it occurred Sunday night, reports of incredible shows of the northern lights began to pour in.
Canada’s displays were nothing short of stunning.
Still can't believe what I witnessed over downtown Calgary last night! #yyc #auroraborealis #northernlights pic.twitter.com/kuNwQcVmqi
— Kyle Brittain (@KyleBrittainWX) April 24, 2023
But, cities across the United States also saw the lights. Many of these places rarely get this kind of show.
And a few more pictures of the #NorthernLights from our office. #AuroraBorealis #Aurora #wywx pic.twitter.com/S4qREUo4ZL
— NWS Riverton (@NWSRiverton) April 24, 2023
WOW!! INCREDIBLE meteor with smoke trail just fell through the northern lights near Apple River, Illinois! @TamithaSkov @spacewxwatch #aurora pic.twitter.com/l5M9TgK3n0
— Landon Moeller (@landon_wx) April 24, 2023
There was even a report of a sighting in the extreme northern part of the Texas Panhandle, a place you’d almost never expect to see the northern lights. Incredibly, this is the second time this year that the northern lights were spotted there.
The Northern Lights were not so northern last night.. shots were taken near Stinnett, TEXAS! Even got a big Lyrid meteor with them still faint on the horizon. #AuroraBorealis #aurora #txwx pic.twitter.com/9MZHQUOM4Y
— Blake Brown (@BlakeBrownWx) April 24, 2023
As for San Antonio, we’re likely never going to see the northern lights here. We’re just too far south. Plus, it was cloudy last night. But, seeing the pictures from around the world is pretty amazing!
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