Early May 2024 brought a truly extraordinary natural event to Tampere, Finland, and much of the mid-high latitudes, leaving many, myself included, in awe and deeply grateful for the opportunity to witness it. Before coming to Finland, it had long been a dream of mine to see the northern lights, and back in November, that dream came true (multiple times). I was lucky enough, despite the typical November gray weather, to see the northern lights both in Lapland and also Southern Finland near Karkkila on November 25th, which proved to be a particularly good show for Southern Finland. However, even this incredible display of aurora would look small compared to the May 2024 Solar Storms, a G5 "extreme" level solar storm that lit up the night sky with some of the most vivid and widespread northern lights I have ever seen on May 10th/11th. This historic event, the first of its kind in nearly 2 decades since the 2003 Halloween Solar Storms, created an unforgettable experience, and I will forever be grateful to have witnessed it at high latitudes here in Finland.
The Prelude: Anticipation and Preparation
As a space weather enthusiast, I had been closely following the solar activity in the days leading up to the storm. Space weather, which includes phenomena like solar flares and geomagnetic storms, can impact Earth's atmosphere and magnetic field and is what drives Northern Lights. In April and May 2024, the Sun had been particularly active or 'feisty' as I would describe it, which was expected as we neared the peak in the 11-year solar cycle. I get frequent email alerts from NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center, and the signs pointed to a significant event. I remember checking the alerts obsessively throughout the day, eagerly anticipating what was to come. It was the perfect storm; the timing was right, the strength was right, and the sun still set just enough to provide dark skies for viewing the aurora. Everything was coming together. We had a bit of aurora the week prior around Vappu, which was spectacular for this late in the season. All signs pointed to this being 'the big one,' and I knew it.
The Day of the Storm: Anticipation and Data Analysis
On the day May 10th, I was like an excited parrot, repeating 'Revontulet' (Finnish for 'northern lights') over and over out of pure anticipation. My excitement for the night's show was evident, and I was constantly checking my phone for the latest data and forecasts, saving it all knowing just how big this event could be. I was checking updates at Hesburger, in Prisma, at Ratina, on the Ratikka—quite literally all day, all across Tampere. The real challenge, and my concern, was the timing of the solar storm. This far north, May is a time of year where it doesn't get dark enough to see any meaningful aurora until shortly after midnight, and even then, the northern horizon still glows with a sunset-like hue.
The Night of the Storm: An Unforgettable Display
In the early hours of May 11th, the storm hit its peak and certainly lived up to, and exceeded, my expectations. I noticed some early activity around midnight from within the city and that alone was enough to make me head out into the forest south of Tampere to await the main show.
By 1:00 a.m., it had finally gotten dark enough to see northern lights. I had settled on the shores of a dark, calm lake, far from any city lights. There was a green glow visible on the southern horizon, but not much aurora overhead, although that quickly changed.
By 1:15 a.m., there was spectacular aurora overhead—pillars of green, pink, purple, white, and red began to almost funnel in and fill the sky from north to south.
By 1:30 a.m., the entire sky was covered in aurora and that is no exaggeration. It was bright enough deep in the forest that it was reflecting on the lake; I could see without a flashlight, and the entire sky was glowing. The lights were so bright that they obscured the stars, covering the sky from horizon to horizon, almost looking like it does when it's a foggy/overcast night, and there are city lights nearby illuminating the clouds, but there were no lights nearby—it was all the aurora glow.
It was at this moment I remembered reading all about the famous Carrington Event from 1859, the strongest and most intense solar storm in recorded history, and it reminded me of an account from that solar storm from Saturday, September 3, 1859, in which the Baltimore American and Commercial Advertiser reported that:
"Those who happened to be out late on Thursday night had an opportunity of witnessing another magnificent display of the auroral lights. The phenomenon was very similar to the display on Sunday night, though at times the light was, if possible, more brilliant, and the prismatic hues more varied and gorgeous. The light appeared to cover the whole firmament, apparently like a luminous cloud, through which the stars of the larger magnitude indistinctly shone. The light was greater than that of the moon at its full, but had an indescribable softness and delicacy that seemed to envelop everything upon which it rested. Between 12 and 1 o'clock, when the display was at its full brilliancy, the quiet streets of the city resting under this strange light presented a beautiful as well as singular appearance."
Baltimore American and Commercial Advertiser - 3 September 1859
Although this storm wasn't nearly as strong as the Carrington Event back in 1859 (The May 2024 Solar Storms came to approximately 25% the strength as Carrington) for us at high latitudes, this was that exact same imagery. You really can't get more aurora than an entire sky filled. For a brief moment, being at high latitude during this peak G5 extreme solar storm, I felt like I knew what it would've been like at lower latitudes during the Carrington Event. I read that newspaper passage now, no longer wondering and imagining, but remembering and reminiscing that same view I had in the early hours of May 11th south of Tampere.
The peak of the storm, with the entire sky covered, lasted only maybe 20-30 minutes, but I stayed up the rest of the night watching various flare-ups with fast-moving aurora overhead until sunrise. As our night turned to day in Finland, the show was just getting started for North America, and all through the day, I watched on social media as reports and pictures of northern lights came in. Friends in Texas and Oklahoma saw them so brightly and overhead; it would have been comparable to the best I saw back in Finland last November near Karkkila. It was clear this was the biggest solar storm in decades and the first G5 Extreme storm of the social media and iPhone age. So many people were able to see and capture the aurora all over the world, certainly making it the most photographed solar storm ever.
The Science Behind the Storm
The G5 solar storm was caused by a massive coronal mass ejection (CME) from the Sun. When these charged particles collided with Earth's magnetic field, they created the stunning auroral displays. Such extreme solar storms are rare and require a combination of factors to produce the spectacular effects we witnessed. The timing, the intensity of the CME, and the clear night skies all played a crucial role in making this event so special.
One aspect that made this solar storm particularly historic was its occurrence during the modern social media era. It was fascinating to see how quickly news and images of the aurora spread across the world, connecting people in their shared amazement. This event will undoubtedly be studied for years to come, contributing valuable data to our understanding of space weather.
Reflecting on the Experience
As someone who has always loved nature, moving to Finland was an easy choice, and it was further reinforced by witnessing this G5 solar storm. The ability to witness such an extraordinary event from my new home in Tampere was a profound reminder of why I made the move. It also highlighted the importance of living in the moment and cherishing the unique experiences that come our way, paying attention to your surroundings, and always being ready for the unexpected amazing sights nature has to offer.
In the days following the storm, I reflected on the event and its impact on me. It was astonishing to realize how much life can change in a year. Just a year ago, I was following G1 and G2 storms from Texas, dreaming of seeing the northern lights in person. Now, here I was, living in Finland and experiencing one of the most significant solar storms in recent history.
The G5 solar storm of May 2024 will remain one of the most remarkable experiences of my life. It was a night of awe and deep appreciation for the natural world. As I continue to explore and document the beauty of Finland, this event stands out as a testament to the incredible experiences that await those who seek them out.
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