Geomagnetic storm could bring breathtaking Auroras to parts of the world this weekend

A series of solar flares and material expulsions from the sun could disrupt communications and create impressive auroras visible this weekend, according to a report from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC).

The SWPC declared a severe geomagnetic storm watch beginning Friday evening, the first of its kind since January 2005. According to CNN, the phenomena could create breathtaking Northern Lights displays from Alabama to California.

A spike in solar activity can create auroras, or the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) and southern lights (Aurora Australis), which occur around Earth's poles, according to CNN. When particles from "coronal mass ejections", or plasma expulsions from the sun, interact with Earth's magnetic field and atmospheric gasses, they create various colored lights in the sky. These geomagnetic storms can affect the Earth's surface, resulting in potential interferences with the electric power grid, communications, radio, and satellite operations.

According to the SWPC, the geomagnetic storm activity will peak between 1 a.m. and 4 a.m. CT on Saturday. As many as five coronal mass ejections were observed and are anticipated to reach Earth between midday Friday and Sunday.

In recent months, geomagnetic storms induced by the sun have created auroras in areas where they are seldom visible, including parts of the south including New Mexico, Missouri, North Carolina, and California, according to CNN.

Extreme geomagnetic storms have happened before, such as the Carrington Event of 1859, which remains the most powerful geomagnetic storm on record. If a similar event were to transpire today, it could inflict trillions of dollars' in damage  and disable electrical grids for a considerable period of time, as noted by CNN.