Northern lights make rare Los Angeles appearance amid major geomagnetic storm

Triggered by an intense geomagnetic storm, the northern lights made a rare visit to the Southland on Tuesday night, painting the skies above the Angeles National Forest in dazzling pink and purple hues.

Although the aurora borealis is typically confined to the northern polar region, Tuesday’s light show could be seen in many parts of the continental United States as a burst of solar energy collided with Earth’s magnetic field, sending supercharged particles cascading through the atmosphere.

The spectacle was produced by one of the strongest geomagnetic storms in recent years, ranking as a G4 event on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s five-level scale.

In Los Angeles County, most residents under the city’s heavy dome of light pollution were likely unaware that the p