While McKenzie cherished the family moment, her heart still longed for a truly spectacular astronomical event, specifically, the Northern Lights. Now, decades later, McKenzie still hoped to finally see the Aurora Borealis.
The moment of truth
In recent years, global and local news has been abuzz with reports that Solar Cycle 25 could bring the Northern Lights to unusual, lower-latitude locations. For McKenzie, this was a clear sign: her dream might finally be within reach.
She downloaded Hello Aurora app a year ago, but only recently became an active user, setting up notifications and monitoring the forecast.
Then, on the evening of November 12, 2025, during a significant geomagnetic storm, everything changed.
Substorm notification: Chance to see the Northern Lights
On that evening McKenzie received a substorm notification, a critical alert indicating a sudden, intense burst of auroral activity (the expansion phase of a substorm) that significantly increases the chance of seeing the Aurora.
👋🏼 Hello Aurora’s substorm notification is a real-time alert that tells you when this energy suddenly gets stronger, signalling the aurora is likely starting its most dynamic, viewable phase often the moment to drop everything and look up!
Aurora spotted alerts are a confirmation by real users
Immediately following the substorm alert, she received an aurora "Moments" photo shared by a user near her location. Despite the stunning photo, McKenzie’s expectations were low. It was a cold night, but she threw on a jacket and went outside.
She walked across the street, glanced around, and then turned back toward her home. What she saw practically stopped her heart:
