‘Northern Lights’ Could Be Visible in California This Weekend

Best viewing will be away from city lights. But the solar winds could disrupt Earth’s atmosphere and interfere with the power grid and radio signals.

Aurora borealis as viewed from Saskatchewan, Canada, on April 12, 2023. Gunjan Sinha

Northern Californians have a rare chance to see the northern lights— typically best seen in Alaska—Friday and Saturday night amid a severe geomagnetic storm.

The rare event could mean the phenomenon—technically called aurora borealis— is visible in the United States from as far north as Alaska to as far south as Alabama.