A series of solar flares and coronal mass ejections have created dazzling auroras that may be seen as far south as Alabama and Northern California — but could also disrupt communications on Earth tonight and over the weekend.
The ongoing geomagnetic storm is now "extreme," or level 5 out of 5, the Space Weather Prediction Center said Friday night. This is the first G5-level storm since October 2003.
Increased solar activity causes auroras that dance around Earth’s poles, known as the northern lights (aurora borealis) and southern lights (aurora australis). When the energized particles reach Earth’s magnetic field, they interact with gases in the atmosphere to light up the sky with different colors.
Though forecasters are working with operators to minimize the impact, the storm could affect the power grid as well as satellite and high-frequency radio communications. The Biden administration is monitoring the possibility of impacts, a White House official said.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.cnn.com/cnn/weather/live-news/geomagnetic-solar-storm-northern-lights-05-10-24/index.html