COLUMBIA, S.C. — Residents in the lower latitudes, including South Carolina, got an extremely rare treat on Friday night when the skies lit up with the colors of the ethereal northern lights.
News19 viewers shared photos from all around the Midlands, including Fairfield County, Orangeburg County and above Lake Murray. The lights were the result of an "extreme" solar storm that resulted in a rarely-issued "severe geomagnetic storm warning" by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center reports that the last time an event of this magnitude occurred was in October 2003, when it caused power outages in Sweden and damaged transformers in South Africa.
The Associated Press initially said the storm could produce northern lights as far south as Alabama. However, by daybreak the next morning, many as far south as north Florida reported seeing them.
And the skyward light show may not be over just yet. NOAA said the effects could persist through the weekend.
