San Francisco, CA – A powerful geomagnetic storm could make the northern lights visible across parts of Northern California tonight, even as the region faces hazardous marine conditions along the coast.
According to the US National Weather Service San Francisco Bay Area/Monterey and the NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center, G3–G4 storm levels remain active, meaning faint auroras may be visible as far south as the Bay Area under clear breaks in the clouds late Wednesday night.
However, weather forecasters also warn of dangerous coastal winds and high seas through Thursday afternoon. Southerly winds will increase to 15–35 knots, with gusts reaching 55 knots offshore and waves between 7 and 15 feet, prompting a hazardous marine alert for the inner and outer coastal waters.
Residents and mariners are urged to avoid venturing into rough seas and to monitor NOAA Weather Radio for updates. Inland skies may remain partly cloudy overnight, but brief clear periods could offer a chance to spot the aurora on the northern horizon after 9 p.m.
If you capture photos of the aurora over the California coast, share them with local news outlets — this could be a once-in-a-generation sighting for the region.
