Powerful bursts of energy from the sun pass through Earth, disrupting energetic particles in the uppermost layers of the atmosphere, painting spectacular aurora borealis in the night sky as far south as Texas, Alabama, Georgia, and even northern Florida.
Several bursts of energy from the Sun, known as coronal mass ejections (CMEs), are expected to reach Earth’s magnetic field over the next two nights. The Space Weather Prediction Center announced a “severe” geomagnetic storm watch for G4 on Tuesday and Wednesday. G4 is the second strongest level on a five-point scale.
Magnetic storms occur when solar wind passes through Earth’s magnetosphere. Charged particles from the sun interact with gases in Earth’s atmosphere, causing amazing auroras, or curtains of green, red, and purple light that ripple across the sky.
😍 Aurora Alert 😍
You can see the Northern Lights at NWS Nashville! Skies will be clear across Middle Tennessee tonight and should provide some great views. Go out and have fun. 🌙
For more information on space weather: https://t.co/XQppi160N9 #TNwx #MiddleTNwx pic.twitter.com/CQJFHRXVtN
— NWS Nashville (@NWSNashville) November 12, 2025
It’s not just about beauty and wonder. The G4 storm brings the potential for power system voltage control issues, GPS navigation errors, and intermittent issues with radio and satellite operation.
This latest solar eruption includes several CMEs from active sunspot clusters. The storm could weaken slightly by Wednesday, but could remain elevated through midweek, potentially allowing the aurora borealis to be seen further south than usual.
For most people, the impact will be limited to breathtaking skies rather than power outages. But it’s a good reminder that no matter how far we’ve progressed as a society, the sun still makes decisions.
