TOLEDO, Ohio — Did you see the Northern Lights in the sky Friday night?
Northwest Ohioans were able to witness the aurora borealis, painting the nighttime sky in hues of pink and green for a brief period. If you liked what you saw, you can thank a G5 geomagnetic storm for the dazzling display normally associated with the frigid northern corners of the globe.
According to the Space Weather Prediction Center, a government agency operated out of the National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration and the National Weather Service, a geomagnetic storm occurred Friday evening and lasted through early Saturday morning. It was recorded as a G5 "extreme" rating and the highest since October of 2003.
May 10, 2024, marked a night when you could check off a bucket list item without ever leaving your own backyard.
Below are some of the sights WTOL 11's viewers and members of our team shared:
PHOTOS: Northern Lights over northwest Ohio
WILL IT HAPPEN SATURDAY AND SUNDAY NIGHT?
Another G5 Extreme geomagnetic storm was observed Saturday morning at 7:28 a.m. as solar flares and CMEs (Coronal Mass Ejections) bombard Earth.
This extreme geomagnetic storm will continue through the weekend, but may not reach levels observed Friday night.
Saturday night: The latest forecast now calls for a G3 Strong Storm to continue. This does have the potential of dazzling auroras in the Northern Great Lakes and Michigan with views possible into Ohio. Weather conditions are favorable again Saturday night in Ohio and most of lower Michigan.
Sunday night: The forecast is for another G3 Strong geomagnetic storm. Another rare and massive X5.4 solar flare was observed in the same region 3664 that produced the dazzling display Friday night.
While both nights ahead are predicted to be G3, there is potential for more upside surprises.
HOW DO AURORAS FORM?
Check out this visual from the WTOL 11 Weather team breaking down how auroras form and what causes this spectacular display of colors.
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