We’re also following a WRAL Weather Alert Day for Sunday, when UNC’s chancellor takes over at Michigan State University and what's next for Klinger the horse retiring in North Carolina after a legendary career in the Army. Watch WRAL-TV at 5 p.m., and search for these and other stories on WRAL.com.

On WRAL at 5: 🍣 140 people sick after eating at a popular Raleigh restaurant 🍣 What may have been the cause

The WRAL Sports team breaks down college bowl season by matchups, mascots and must-sees to help you plan your viewing.

2023 college football bowl game guide: Dates, times, TV

SEC_Championship_Football_25578

From "Bull Durham" to Academy Award-winning dramas, the state has played host to multiple films based on fact and fiction.

20 famous movies filmed in North Carolina

20 popular movies made in NC

All assets associated with the tag: Northern Lights

Northern Lights Coverage

You may have problems with your radio or GPS on Friday because of a geomagnetic storm coming from space.

Geomagnetic storm on Friday could disrupt cell phones, GPS, satellites

Northern Lights, geomagnetic storm, nature, weather, north america

The breathtaking dancing shimmer of the aurora borealis and its counterpart in the southern hemisphere, aurora australis, dazzles those lucky enough to catch a glimpse of Earth's greatest light show.

Why the northern and southern lights appear to be so active right now

media-S062878310-300

Some Washington State residents were treated to a light show courtesy of Mother Nature.



Northern lights dance across the sky for awe-inspiring display

Northern lights

The greatest effects of this geomagnetic storm are expected to arrive between 7 p.m. and 11 p.m. Saturday.

THE PARK WILL HAVE A NEW PLAYGROUND BASKETBALL COURT, NEXT SUMMER. >>> NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE IN NORTH CAROLINA HAVE SEEN THE NORTHERN LIGHTS, BUT TONIGHT YOU JUST MIGHT GET YOUR CHANCE. AMBASSADOR TONY RICE IS HERE TO TELL US MORE. FIRST OF ALL, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE AURORA. GROWING UP IN FLORIDA, THE LIGHTS NEVER GOT SO SOUTH. I REMEMBER HAVING A TEACHER FROM MICHIGAN THAT HAD TOLD US HOW BEAUTIFUL IT IS. CAN YOU JUST TELL US WHAT IT IS AND WHAT IS CAUSING IT? >> THURSDAY MORNING, AROUND 11:30 AM OUR TIME, THERE WAS A SOLAR FLARE. WE ARE SEEING THAT INCREASINGLY, BECAUSE OF INCREASING SUNSPOT ACTIVITY. THE SUN WILL WAKE UP, AND ABOVE THE SUNSPOT, MAGNETIC LINES TWIST UPON THEMSELVES AND AS A TWIST LIKE A RUBBER BAND, THEY REACHED A BREAKING POINT AND THAT HAD CAUSED THE SOLAR FLARE TO SNAP. THE SOLAR FLARE REACH EARTH AND EIGHT MINUTES, AND IT CREATED A CORONAL MASS AND JACKSON. THAT IS A LOT OF HOT GUESSES AND PARTICLES THAT ARE CHARGED. THIS ONE WE THINK IS GOING ABOUT 800 KILOMETERS PER SECOND, WHICH SOUNDS VERY FAST BUT IT WOULD STILL TAKE ABOUT 2 1/2 DAYS FOR IT TO REACH US. WHEN IT REACHES US, WHAT IS HAPPENING IS THAT THERE IS A -- THINK OF IT LIKE A KRISPY KREME DONUT THAT SURROUNDS EARTH. THAT IS THE MAGNETOSPHERE THAT PROTECTS US FROM THE SOLAR WINDS. WITH A STRONG BIT OF CHARGED PARTICLES LIKE THIS MAKES IT OUR WAY, IT WILL DIP DOWN INTO THE TOP OF THE DOUGHNUT INTO THE POLLS. THAT IS WHAT YOUR TEACHER MICHIGAN WAS ABLE TO SEE THIS A LOT MORE. IT TAKES STRONG SOLAR WINDS, REALLY STRONG SOLAR STORMS TO MAKE IT FURTHER SOUTH. THAT IS WHAT IS GOING TO BE HAPPENING THIS EVENING. IT IS GOING TO BE QUITE A BIT STRONGER. >> YOU TOUCH ON THE POINTS OF WHY WE TYPICALLY SEE THIS NEAR THE NORTH AND THE SOUTH POLES. OKAY, WELL, CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT MORE? WHAT EXACTLY IS GOING TO BE HAPPENING IN THE SOLAR SYSTEM TONIGHT? >> AS THE CHARGED PARTICLES REACH EARTH, THEY WILL FOLLOW THE MAGNETOSPHERE, IT IS JUST A BUNCH OF FIELD LINES SHAPED LIKE A DOUGHNUT, AND THEY WILL FOLLOW THOSE LINES DOWN PAST THE POLLS, AND MAKE IT QUITE A BIT FURTHER SOUTH. YOUR TEACHER IN MICHIGAN, THEY MIGHT GET A PRETTY GOOD SHOW. IN RALEIGH, WHAT WE CAN EXPECT IS SEEING SOME OF THOSE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING FURTHER NORTH OF US. WE ARE EXPECTING AND THE FORECAST RIGHT NOW, FROM THE SPACE WEATHER PREDICTION CENTER, THE STRONG EFFECTS DIPPING DOWN. PENNSYLVANIA, ALL OF THOSE AREAS. WE WILL KNOW MORE WHEN WE CAN GET SOME BETTER MEASUREMENTS LATER THIS AFTERNOON. HERE IN RALEIGH, WHAT YOU SHOULD EXPECT IS LOOK TO THE NORTHERN PART OF THE SKY. NEAR THE HORIZON, BECAUSE WHAT WE ARE SEEING IS THE UPPER ATMOSPHERE CLOSER INTO NEW JERSEY. WE WILL BE LOOKING FOR A GENERAL GREETING IN THE SKY.

Solar flare could make for green glow on the horizon Saturday night

Northern lights over Canada as seen from the International Space Station

The northern lights put on a spectacular display in the skies over Finland. 

<p>Oh, my God! The whole sky. It's pink. Oh, leave! Wow! Wow! Oh, my God. Uh huh. Mhm. Wow. Okay. Yeah. Oh, my God. Oh, wow. This question.</p>

Northern Lights on display in Finland 

Auroral activity was forecasted to be visible as far south as North Carolina Thursday night, the result of a solar storm earlier in the week.

Aurora hopes dashed by weaker-than-expected solar storm 

The Northern Lights have lit the sky over Finland, close to the border with Norway and Sweden.

Dancing lights put on a show over Finland

Tourists visiting northern Finland enjoyed a stunning display of the Northern Lights overnight.