PHOTOS: Northern Lights 'Blow Up' Across California Sky After Solar Storm

Lights danced across the sky over the Mammoth Mountain region on Sunday night, and locals were mesmerized by their beauty. According to ABC7, the dazzling light show was a result of the latest geomagnetic storm, only the third to occur since 2019. UCLA Space Institute Founder Jacob Bortnik explained that events like this are only going to be happening more and more throughout the region in the coming years.

"We are now not quite at the maximum of the solar cycle, that will happen in the next one or two years. But right now, we're getting there and so this is probably going to happen more and more in the next year or two."

Local Donovan Johnson was able to capture photos of the pink, glowing sky, showcasing the vibrant colors that outlined the rooftops. He mentioned that it was "crazy" to be able to witness the phenomenon, as aurora borealis typically occurs in areas of higher latitude like Alaska and Canada. NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center director Clinton Wallace told SF Gate that the lights were able to be seen from California because of the power exuded by the latest geometric storm.

“The flare ejected a billion tons of superheated magnetized gas into space that traveled at 2 million mph toward Earth. In two days, this plasma that’s magnetized reached Earth, which essentially is a big magnet as well.” He mentioned that while these storms are common, the magnitude of the storm was very unusual.