Northern Lights Visible Above Sierra Valley

SIERRA VALLEY — Early last week, the aurora borealis, commonly known as the northern lights, appeared across parts of California, including the Sierra Valley. The glowing display occurs when charged particles from the sun collide with gases in Earth’s upper atmosphere. Under normal conditions, the phenomenon remains visible only near the Arctic Circle, but a severe geomagnetic storm following a powerful X-class solar flare drove the lights far southward.

Eveline Larrucea, photographing from a ranch along the A-23 road, captured the event and described the sight as “spectacular.” The Sierra Valley’s wide-open skies and minimal light pollution made it one of the best places in the state to witness the rare display.

Geomagnetic storms intense enough (G4 or G5 level) to bring the northern lights to California typically occur only about once every 5–10 years. Yet the current solar maximum has delivered three such events in less than two years: May 2024, October 2024, and now November 2025.