Florida
Northern lights dance over Space Coast Tuesday night, turning sky red
Are the northern lights visible as far south as Florida?
Turns out the answers is yes, even as far south as Florida’s Space Coast — thanks to a powerful solar storm Tuesday.
Many across Florida did not believe their eyes as the sky glowed the night of Nov. 11 when the northern lights reached all the way to the southern most states. People from Merritt Island and Titusville began to post photos of the sky glowing red as the aurora danced in the sky.
This aurora was due to charged particles from the sun interacting with Earth’s atmosphere as a result of high solar activity. But it’s not always visible without the help of a camera − even in northern states.
While it was only detectable by camera at first, around 11:30 p.m. Nov. 11 the northern sky over Brevard County glowed a red hue which was visible to the eye even under light pollution. It was not just on the horizon either − these lights climbed high into the sky.
Moderate solar activity had been predicted, but it was not anticipated that an aurora would travel as far south.
USA Today reported on Nov. 11 that the latest National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration aurora forecast map showed the lights only having a chance of reaching as far south as Pennsylvania. That was quickly proven to be underestimated as the aurora danced into the southern states as night fell.
While not as visible, the only other time in recent years that Florida’s Space Coast saw the northern lights was during a solar storm in May 2024.
Brooke Edwards is a Space Reporter for Florida Today. Contact her at bedwards@floridatoday.com or on X: @brookeofstars.
Florida
Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold named in Florida court filing
Florida
Video: Injured Florida manatee rescued by authorities, receiving medical care at ZooTampa
FORT MYERS, Fla. – An injured manatee and her calf are recovering after authorities on a boat rescued them from the Orange River near Fort Myers on Thursday.
What we know:
The Lee County Sheriff’s Office said its Marine Unit, Advanced Technology Support Unit, drone pilots and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission helped in saving the pair after the mother was found hurt in the water and in need of medical attention.
READ: Missing Florida man found stuck in mud without food or water for days: PFD
Video shows authorities pulling the frantic manatees safely onto the boat in netting before taking them to shore.
Courtesy: Lee County Sheriff’s Office
Both animals will be taken to ZooTampa for evaluation and medical care.
What we don’t know:
LCSO did not say the extent of the mother’s injuries.
By the numbers:
As of Feb. 20, there have been 85 manatee deaths across Florida in 2026, according to the FWC. Last year reportedly saw a total of 632 manatee deaths.
Dig deeper:
Earlier this month, the FWC began investigating a spike in manatee deaths, specifically in Lee County, where officials say 25 were found dead within a week.
READ: FWC investigating spike in manatee deaths over the past week
The FWC believes these manatee deaths could be from several factors: cold stress, a lack of seagrass and polluted waterways.
The Source: Information for this story was provided by the Lee County Sheriff’s Office and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Florida
Cuba says 4 killed after speedboat from Florida opened fire in Cuban waters
Trump threatens tariffs on countries that supply oil to Cuba
Trump warned Cuba to reach an agreement with the U.S. after signing an executive order to impose tariffs on countries that supply the island with oil.
HAVANA (Reuters) – Four people were killed and seven others were wounded on Feb. 25 after a speedboat from Florida entered Cuban waters and opened fire on Cuban forces, who returned fire, Cuba’s Interior Ministry said.
All four dead were aboard the Florida-based speedboat, and another six were injured, Cuba said. In addition, the Cuban commander of border patrol boat was wounded, Cuba said.
The wounded foreign attackers were evacuated and received medical attention, Cuba said.
The incident took place amid heightened tension between Cuba and the United States, which has blocked virtually all oil shipments to the island, increasing pressure on the Communist-run government. American forces captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in Caracas on Jan. 3, removing a key Cuban ally from power.
“Faced with the current challenges, Cuba reaffirms its commitment to protecting its territorial waters, based on the principle that national defense is a fundamental pillar for the Cuban state in safeguarding its sovereignty and stability in the region,” the Cuban statement said.
Reporting by Daniel Trotta in Havana.
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