Augusta, GA
Northern lights dance across CSRA – and it may happen again tonight
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – An unusually strong solar storm hit Earth on Friday night, producing spectacular northern lights across the CSRA and the country at large.
The U.S. Space Weather Prediction Center says a rare “extreme” geomagnetic storm is occurring, causing the northern lights generated by the aurora borealis to penetrate much farther south than normal.
That included Friday night across the CSRA.
Viewers have sent us hundreds of photos of the rare sight. Take a look:
The Space Weather Prediction Center ranks geomagnetic storms on a scale from G-1 (minor) to G-5 (extreme).
Conditions peaked in the G-5 category for a brief time Friday night, causing the northern lights to be visible as far south as Florida.
The scene was quite impressive across Georgia and South Carolina as you will see in the video above.
The center says these conditions are possible again Saturday night, so if you missed it last night, look to the north tonight between 10 p.m. and around 2 a.m., and you may be lucky enough to see those vivid pink and green hues in the skies again.
It will really depend on whether observed geomagnetic storm conditions can reach G-4 or G-5 again tonight.
To track this weekend’s conditions, be sure to bookmark this page for the latest observations from the Space Weather Prediction Center.
“That’s really the gift from space weather — the aurora,” said Rob Steenburgh, a scientist with NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center.
He and his colleagues said the best aurora views may come from phone cameras, which are better at capturing light than the naked eye.
Snap a picture of the sky and “there might be actually a nice little treat there for you,” said Mike Bettwy, operations chief for the center.
The most intense solar storm in recorded history was in 1859. It prompted auroras in Central America and possibly even Hawaii.
Copyright 2024 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Students showcased drones they built during a two-week summer camp at Augusta Regional Airport on Friday.
12 junior and high school students attended the camp, where they learned to fly and build drones designed to help others.
Anderson Puryear, a student, said the camp focused on delivering small medical supplies.
“It was focused on delivering small medical supplies like an EPI pen or glucose packet for like diabetics and for people with allergies in need in the real world that could obviously help save lives, and if people are like in a place in a boat or like in the desert or in the forest where they can’t easily access those supplies it can save their lives,” Puryear said.
The airport partnered with Georgia Tech, state troopers and the Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting Department for the Air Edu Summer Camp.
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AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The 10th annual Juneteenth Augusta Festival brought families to the Augusta Fairgrounds on Friday despite the muggy heat.
Cultural and community-focused events, live music performances and food trucks were available at the celebration.
Tonia Hill, attending the Juneteenth celebration, said she loves the holiday and is supporting the community, though she acknowledged the weather conditions.
“I love Juneteenth. And I’m supporting everybody. It’s hot. It’s hot. It’s hot,” Hill said.
The festival runs until 10 p.m.
Copyright 2026 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The Augusta Dream Center is seeing more families turn to its food pantry this summer as children lose access to school lunches.
Organizations like the Augusta Dream Center see a surge in families who relied on school lunches during the academic year, according to Hallie Kohan, assistant director.
“We see a lot more families that have young kids who are in need that simply don’t have those meals they are normally getting,” Kohan said. “We see an influx of families that come through.”
Demand is up, but the food supply is not keeping pace.
“Right now we are having some food distribution issues so while we are seeing an increase in families, we are seeing a decrease in the amount of food coming through our doors,” Kohan said.
The center is asking the community to host food drives or donate kid-friendly items such as mac and cheese and oatmeal.
Every Sunday the Dream Center opens its doors for a hot meal, serving as many as 120 people.
“Families can come in and get their hot meal. They sit down, it’s dignified, it’s a diner,” Kohan said. “It’s a welcoming experience for kids to come in and not feel like they are in need.”
No paperwork is required to receive help.
“Just because you think someone is in a great situation, in today’s economy you never know,” Kohan said. “It could be your neighbor, mom, or best friend.”
The Augusta Dream Center food pantry is open Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to noon and Thursdays from 5 to 6 p.m. Hot meals are served Sundays from 5 to 6 p.m.
Copyright 2026 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
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