SACRAMENTO — A colorful display in the night sky was caused by a solar flare and for the first time in decades, you can see it in Northern California, sparking much excitement.
A rare sight in Northern California – an aurora borealis.
“It was an amazing site to see,” Stockton resident Anahi Ballesteros said.
A Pinkish-purple color It stretched into the sky and left the audience speechless.
“Seeing the Northern Lights was a lifelong dream, and I never in a million years thought it would happen in my backyard,” said Marina Aria of Davis.
According to the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the event caused by a series of solar flares caused geomagnetic storms toward Earth.
These types of storms can sometimes affect infrastructure such as power grids and satellite operations, and disrupt radio signals and navigation.
FEMA reported no damage.
In addition, these storms produced aurora borealis displays in various parts of the world, as seen in northern California – and spread across the country to parts of Tennessee and Alabama.
“Everything came to life, there were stars,” Ballesteros said.
Ballesteros, a fifth-grade teacher in Stockton, took the eight-mile road with her family to take photos.
“It’s like a picture frame from Alaska but you buy it here but we see it in Stockton,” Ballesteros said.
In Davis, Aria and her husband leave the city to see for themselves.
“I was so emotional. My eyes started to flutter,” Aria said.
The local police department is also taking action and posting on Facebook.
A site usually found only in the northern hemisphere gives Californians a rare glimpse.
“It completely changed my board for nature,” Aria said.
The northern lights can be seen as far south as Modesto, and although the storm has weakened, you may catch it again Saturday night.
