Northern lights visible in High Desert

Rene Ray De La Cruz, Victorville Daily Press
·1 min read

The Northern lights were visible in much of the U.S., including the High Desert of Southern California.

Professional and amateur photographers took to social media on Friday night to post photos of the aurora borealis, also known as the northern lights.

Photo of the aurora borealis, also known as the northern lights, taken south of Barstow on Friday, May 10, 2024. Photo Provided By Brandy Carlos/@FirePhotoGirl
Photo of the aurora borealis, also known as the northern lights, taken south of Barstow on Friday, May 10, 2024. Photo Provided By Brandy Carlos/@FirePhotoGirl

Photographer and former firefighter Brandy Carlos, known as FirePhotoGirl on the social media platform X, was south of Barstow when she stopped to snap the natural light display.

“I am in some state of awe right now!! Amazing,” posted Carlos, who shared several photos on her X account.

Carlos said she dropped by the Victorville Krispy Kreme, “Striking out hard on donuts and auroras.”

Dozens of residents from Lucerne Valley, Apple Valley and Hesperia posted their northern lights photos to Facebook, including Jose Gonzalez, Cheryl Moyer, Bob Basen and Carol Morehouse Poole.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration officials said the aurora might be visible Friday, Saturday, or Sunday nights.

"This is an unusual and potentially historic event," said Clinton Wallace, director of the Space Weather Prediction Center, in a statement.

Photo of the aurora borealis, also known as the northern lights, taken in Hesperia on Friday, May 10, 2024.
Photo of the aurora borealis, also known as the northern lights, taken in Hesperia on Friday, May 10, 2024.

Why were the Northern lights visible here?

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said Thursday, that they were monitoring the sun following a series of solar flares and coronal mass ejections that began on May 8.

Space weather forecasters issued a Severe (G4) Geomagnetic Storm Watch for the evening of Friday, May 10.

Additional solar eruptions could cause geomagnetic storm conditions to persist through the weekend.

Geomagnetic storms can also trigger spectacular displays of aurora on Earth. A severe geomagnetic storm includes the potential for aurora to be seen as far south as Alabama and Northern California, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration officials stated.

Daily Press reporter Rene Ray De La Cruz may be reached at RDeLaCruz@VVDailyPress.com. Follow him on X @DP_ReneDeLaCruz

This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: Northern lights visible in High Desert