The rare aurora borealis or “northern lights” in the southern US could be visible Friday thanks to the first severe geomagnetic storm forecast since 2005, which may also impact infrastructure including satellites, the power grid and even pipelines.for a strong G4 or severe storm starting later on Friday. That’s when multiple coronal mass ejections let loose by the sun earlier this week are expected to merge as they arrive and blast earth’s magnetosphere.
“ is pretty extraordinary. It’s a very rare event to happen,” Shawn Dahl, service coordinator for NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center, said in a call with reporters Friday morning. Dahl said there could be some infrastructure effects on satellite operators and the power grid in North America.