What caused the northern lights to be visible in Florida?

The northern lights were caused by a powerful solar storm on November 11, 2025 that sent charged particles from the sun interacting with Earth's atmosphere.

When was the last time the northern lights were seen in Florida?

The last time the northern lights were seen in Florida's Space Coast was during a solar storm in May 2024, making the recent event in November 2025 a rare occurrence.

How far south did the northern lights reach in Florida?

The northern lights reached as far south as Brevard County, Florida, where the sky glowed red and the aurora was visible to the naked eye, even under light pollution.

Home / Weather / Rare Aurora Lights Up Florida's Night Sky

Rare Aurora Lights Up Florida's Night Sky

12 Nov, 2025

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Summary

Powerful solar storm brought northern lights to Florida
Glowing red aurora visible to the naked eye in Brevard County
Unusual event, only other time in recent years was in May 2024

Rare Aurora Lights Up Florida's Night Sky

On November 11, 2025, a powerful solar storm caused a rare and unexpected display of the northern lights as far south as Florida's Space Coast. Residents of Merritt Island and Titusville were left in awe as the night sky glowed red with the dancing aurora.

Initially, the lights were only detectable by camera, but around 11:30 pm, the northern sky over Brevard County began to glow, visible to the naked eye even under light pollution. The aurora climbed high into the sky, a sight that is typically reserved for northern states.

While moderate solar activity had been predicted, it was not anticipated that the aurora would travel as far south as Florida. In fact, the latest NOAA forecast had only shown the lights reaching as far as Pennsylvania. However, as night fell, the stunning display proved the forecast to be an underestimate.