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Northern Lights: Can I see them in Florida?

By Josh Frigerio and Noah Bergren
Updated  May 10, 2024 11:59pm EDT
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FOX 35 Orlando

Northern Lights: Can I see them in Florida?

Canada and parts of the United States may be able to see the beloved Northern Lights late Friday night due to an extreme geomagnetic storm within Earth's magnetic field. But, will they be visible down in Florida?

Canada and parts of the United States may be able to see the beloved Northern Lights late Friday night due to an extreme geomagnetic storm within Earth's magnetic field. But will they be visible down in Florida?

It's possible. 

Northern Lights visibility forecast: Can I see them in the United States?

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Those who live in Canada and the northern parts of the United States – from Seattle to Maine – have the best chances to see the northern lights late Friday night into Saturday morning. Though, those in the heartlands of the U.S. – Utah, Kansas, Tennessee – also have a chance to see them.

It would be best to escape city lights, FOX 35 meteorologist Noah Bergren said.

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What's causing this?

The NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center issued a rare G5 – or extreme geomagnetic storm alert – indicating a "major disturbance in Earth's magnetic field."

The cause? Possibly a "large, complex sunspot cluster" some 17 times Earth's diameter or solar material eruptions. As that material reaches Earth, we can see those coveted lights, according to the Space Weather Prediction Center.

The SWPC said there could be interruptions to some communications, GPS, power grids, and satellite navigation due to the space weather and that critical infrastructure operators have been notified.

This is considered to be a rare event. Only three G4 storms have happened since 2019, and the last "Extreme" – or G5 – event happened in October 2003. That one resulted in power outages in Sweden and damaged transformers in South Africa, the SWPC said.

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Tips to see the Northern Lights

According to the SWPC, there are four factors to remember when looking to view the northern lights:

  • Geomagnetic activity - this determines how bright (or not) the northern lights will be, as well as how they'll look across the sky
  • Location: It is best to be closest to the northern or southern magnetic poles
  • Darkness - ensure you're away from city lights to see the night sky the best. A full moon will also diminish how bright the northern lights look in the sky.
  • Timing: the best auroras can be seen within an hour or two before or after midnight. The best times to see the northern lights are during the spring and fall equinoxes.
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