NOAA Northern Lights Forecast Map: Aurora Borealis Seen As Far South As Florida Keys

Aurora borealis, also known as Northern Lights, caused by a geomagnetic storm as seen from the International Space Station. Credit: NASA file photo.

MIAMI, Florida - NOAA's National Weather Service Space Weather Prediction Center issued a Severe (G4) Geomagnetic Storm Watch following a solar storm that is producing Northern Lights over the U.S. this weekend as far south as the Florida Keys.

"Incredible pink Aurora Borealis with light pillars at 11:00pm in Key Largo, Florida. This has to be some kind of record this far south," National Geographic photographer and extreme weather chaser Mike Theiss tweeted.

Incredible pink Aurora Borealis with light pillars at 11:00pm in Key Largo, Florida. This has to be some kind of record this far south. Coordinates: (25° 07' 56" N) (80° 24° 19" W) pic.twitter.com/ZuqZFZwEtU

— Mike Theiss (@MikeTheiss) May 11, 2024

More Northern Lights This Weekend

Space weather forecasters say that additional solar eruptions could cause geomagnetic storm conditions to persist through the weekend, which could produce Aurora borealis, also known as Northern Lights.

Can The Northern Lights Be Seen From Florida Tonight?

Aurora can often be observed somewhere on Earth from just after sunset or just before sunrise. The aurora is not visible during daylight hours.  

According to NOAA, the aurora does not need to be directly overhead but can be observed from as much as 600 miles (1000 km) away when the aurora is bright and if conditions are right. So, it is possible that the Northern Lights will be visible again tonight across Florida from Orlando to Fort Myers to Miami to Jacksonville.

The aurora sightings tonight have caused quite the buzz around social media. These pictures were shared with us from Sebring, FL. Send us your aurora pictures, if you are one of the lucky ones who has been able to catch a glimpse! 📸Corey Amundsen pic.twitter.com/3TUBwS1hAU

— NWS Tampa Bay (@NWSTampaBay) May 11, 2024

Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights) Forecast Tonight May 11, 2024

Geomagnetic storms can also trigger spectacular displays of aurora on Earth. A severe geomagnetic storm includes the potential for aurora, also known as Northern Lights, to be seen as far south as Alabama and Northern California, according to NOAA's space weather forecasters.

Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights) Forecast Map May 11, 2024

The brightness and location of the aurora is typically shown as a green oval centered on Earth’s magnetic pole.  The green ovals turn red when the aurora is forecasted to be more intense.  The sunlit side of Earth is indicated by the lighter blue of the ocean and the lighter color of the continents. Credit: NOAA National Weather Service Space Weather Prediction Center