Strong Geomagnetic Storm Could Bring Northern Lights to Texas Tonight

 

SAN ANGELO, TX - A strong geomagnetic storm is expected to occur on the evening of Oct. 10, with the potential to cause disruptions and bring rare aurora sightings as far south as West Central Texas, according to the National Weather Service and NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center.

Classified as a G3 or higher-level event, the storm could escalate to a G4 or even a G5, which could result in visible auroras, also known as the northern lights, across the United States.

National Weather Service

National Weather Service

The auroras may be seen in regions as far south as Iowa, New York, and Washington, as well as potentially over West Central Texas, including San Angelo and Abilene.

While auroras are rare in Texas, NWS officials noted that mostly clear skies tonight may increase the chance of catching a glimpse of the phenomenon. However, light pollution in urban areas like San Angelo and Abilene could make it more difficult to see. It's often easier to see through cameras than with the naked eye, according to NWS. 

Experts recommend moving to areas with darker skies for a better viewing experience. The aurora may appear in waves, brightening and fading throughout the night, with no specific time for peak visibility.

In addition to auroral displays, geomagnetic storms can potentially disrupt satellite operations, GPS, high-frequency communications, and even power grids, particularly at higher latitudes. Operators and authorities have been alerted to the potential impacts.

Residents interested in more details or tracking the storm’s progression can visit NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center for updates.

For more information, visit NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center.

Subscribe to the LIVE! Daily

The LIVE! Daily is the "newspaper to your email" for San Angelo. Each content-packed edition has weather, the popular Top of the Email opinion and rumor mill column, news around the state of Texas, news around west Texas, the latest news stories from San Angelo LIVE!, events, and the most recent obituaries. The bottom of the email contains the most recent rants and comments. The LIVE! daily is emailed 5 days per week. On Sundays, subscribers receive the West Texas Real Estate LIVE! email.

Required

Most Recent Videos

Comments

State Representative Drew Darby’s response to the ongoing geomagnetic storm has been curiously absent, leading many to wonder if his silence is more than just inaction. While Texas is grappling with widespread power outages, communication failures, and a growing sense of unease, Darby has offered little in the way of solutions—or even concern. To some, it almost seems as though he is waiting for the storm to run its course, as if the destruction it brings serves a larger purpose.

Darby has always positioned himself as a moderate, someone who can see both sides of an issue. But in the case of the geomagnetic storm, his refusal to act suggests something more deliberate. While other state leaders are working frantically to find ways to protect critical infrastructure, Darby’s apparent indifference has raised questions. Could it be that he sees the unraveling of society as an opportunity, rather than a crisis?

There are whispers that Darby, like a few others, views the storm as a cleansing force—a chance to reset, to let the old systems crumble and clear the way for something new. The disruptions caused by the solar storm are catastrophic, yes, but to someone with a certain vision of the future, they might also be seen as liberating. Civilization, with all its dependencies on technology, bureaucracy, and fragile networks, is suddenly exposed for its vulnerabilities. In this light, Darby’s lack of action seems less like incompetence and more like a calculated gamble.

By letting the storm rage unchecked, Darby could be betting on the idea that a collapse of the current order would allow for a restructuring of society, a return to something he believes to be more sustainable or manageable. After all, what better way to build anew than to let the old systems fail on their own, without lifting a finger to stop it? The chaos caused by the storm—the blackouts, the breakdowns in communication—could be exactly what Darby has been waiting for: an opportunity to reshape society from the ground up.

To the casual observer, it might appear that Darby is simply out of touch, or perhaps overwhelmed by the scale of the crisis. But for those paying closer attention, his inaction takes on a more sinister meaning. He seems content to watch as the systems we depend on falter, as if this storm is the catalyst for the societal reset he envisions. It’s not just that Darby has failed to act—it’s that he may prefer not to.

Of course, Darby’s true intentions remain his own, and perhaps he is simply taking a more hands-off approach, believing that intervention would only complicate matters. But as the geomagnetic storm continues to wreak havoc across the state, one cannot help but wonder: does Darby see the destruction as a problem to solve—or a necessary step toward a future he has long imagined? Whatever the case may be, his silence during this critical moment speaks volumes.

 

Rita,

Drew has been closely monitoring Randi Weingarten's web sight and may be having daily conference calls with her. He also has been carefully massaging SAISD's prop 1 school tax manuver. There are a little over twenty "Blue Ribbon" school systems in Texas, the nearest being Irion County. If I had a school age child, I'd be investing my gasoline in getting that child across the County line.Oh by the way, he votes 65% Democrat.

Darby seems conspicuously untroubled by the recent uncharacteristic earthquakes in the area. Very telling.

Post a comment to this article here: