California Northern Lights Tracker: How to watch stunning aurora display tonight amid geomagnetic storm alert
Auroras in California today: Let's find out when and how to watch vibrant display of northern lights. This spectacle comes at a time, NOAA issued geomagnetic storm warning which could temporarily disrupt communications.
California Northern Lights Tracker: The vibrant auroras are in the limelight after reports suggested this celestial spectacle could reach parts of Northern California. This comes after the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) on 11 November issued a severe geomagnetic storm warning.
In a post on X, NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center said, "G4 (Severe) Watch now posted for 12 Nov. The recent, fast CME is anticipated to arrive about midday on 12 Nov and G4 potential exists."
This implies that upcoming severe solar storms could produce colourful Northern Lights and temporarily disrupt communications, as per space weather forecasters.
Although the atmospheric conditions won’t be ideal for spotting auroras in California due to the storm, the coronal mass ejections from the Sun in recent days could reach Earth on the night of 11 November and early morning on 12 November, AP reported.
However, the brightness and extent of the auroras will depend on when the solar bursts happen and their interaction with Earth's atmosphere.
“The vibrant displays could be visible across much of the northern U.S., and as far south as Alabama and Northern California,” the report said.
According to AccuWeather, some auroras across the northern US are likely, as solar material from this explosion is likely to arrive late Tuesday night or early Wednesday, SWPC said.
When and where to look for the northern lights?
Listed below are the states that have the highest possibility of aurora visibility on 11 November, according to NOAA.
- Washington
- Idaho
- Montana
- North Dakota
- South Dakota
- Minnesota
- Wisconsin
- Michigan
- Alaska
More states in the view line, where sightings are still possible, are:
- Oregon
- Wyoming
- Nebraska
- Iowa
- Indiana
- Ohio
- Pennsylvania
- New York
- Vermont
- New Hampshire
- Maine
- Massachusetts
Best viewing times
Skywatchers can look for the Northern Lights on Tuesday night, as they are typically most visible after 10:00 pm and are expected to light up the skies until 2:00 am.
Notably, the best viewing time for this storm is likely between 11:00 pm and 5:00 am, according to NOAA’s 3-day forecast.
According to meteorologist Dirk Verdoorn, cloud cover in Northern California is expected to break up on 11 November after 10:00 pm. This will provide skywatchers with an opportunity to enjoy the magnificent auroras, kcra.com reported.
However, low clouds will start creeping in from the coast after midnight, bringing overcast skies, Dirk Verdoorn said.
How to watch?
Sky gazers must note that the best place for catching an aurora is away from city lights. Faint Northern Lights may still be captured with a smartphone camera, even if not visible to the naked eye.
Placerville's Community Observatory docent Randy Hodges said that he did not expect conditions to be favourable for seeing auroras. He cited cloud cover and moonlight as the reasons for his belief, kcra.com reported.
Northern Lights tracker
NOAA in a post on X issued a warning and said, “Geomagnetic K-index of 7 or greater expected, Valid From: 2025 Nov 12 0020 UTC, Valid To: 2025 Nov 12 0900 UTC, Warning Condition: Onset, NOAA Scale: G3 or greater, Issue Time: 2025 Nov 12 0020 UTC.”
At 7:08 AM, NOAA said, “G4 Levels Reached! Conditions met on 12 Nov at 0120 UTC. We anticipate continuing geomagnetic storm levels through the night to continue as long as conditions remain favorable.”
According to NOAA, the stunning northern lights can be seen by “those under or near the 30-minute predicted auroral extent" contingent on weather conditions.