The aurora borealis could be coming to the skies above a large portion of the U.S. this weekend due to a strong solar storm.
An unusually strong solar storm headed toward Earth could produce northern lights in the U.S. this weekend and potentially disrupt power and communications.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration issued a rare geomagnetic storm watch - the first in nearly 20 years. That was expected to become a warning Friday night when the effects of the solar outburst were due to reach Earth."As far as the worst situation expected here at Earth, that's tough to say and I wouldn't want to speculate on that," said NOAA space weather forecaster Shawn Dahl.
The flares seem to be associated with a sunspot that's 16 times the diameter of Earth, according to NOAA. An extreme geomagnetic storm in 2003 took out power in Sweden and damaged power transformers in South Africa. The latest storm could produce northern lights as far south in the U.S. as Alabama and Northern California, according to NOAA.
The most intense solar storm in recorded history, in 1859, prompted auroras in Central America and possibly even Hawaii. "That's an extreme-level event," Dahl said. "We are not anticipating that" but it could come close.
Aurora Borealis Solar Storm Disrupt Communications US Mother's Day Weekend
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