ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — After a dazzling display of the northern lights on Tuesday night — with sightings reported as far south as Florida — skywatchers across Western North Carolina may get another chance Wednesday night.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), multiple solar eruptions are set to hit Earth midweek, creating conditions that could bring auroras as far south as Alabama and northern California. NOAA has issued a G4 (severe) geomagnetic storm watch for Wednesday, Nov. 12, with strong (G3) activity expected to continue into Thursday.
The light show stems from a series of three coronal mass ejections (CMEs) — massive bursts of solar plasma — launched from an especially active sunspot known as AR4274. The first two CMEs, released on Nov. 9 and 10, were expected to reach Earth by late Tuesday into early Wednesday, with a third, even larger wave is predicted to arrive around 7 a.m. EST Wednesday.
If skies remain clear, Asheville and surrounding mountain areas could see another round of auroras overnight Wednesday into early Thursday.
Experts caution that geomagnetic forecasts can shift as new solar data comes in, but NOAA and space weather monitors say this week’s solar storm activity could produce one of the most widespread aurora events in years.
Residents hoping to catch a glimpse are encouraged to head to dark, open areas away from city lights and look north after sunset Wednesday night.