Nature really showed its best and worst side on Friday.

Tallahassee residents panicked as tornado warnings sounded. Scenes of widespread destruction dominated social media news throughout the day.

As night fell, horror gave way to awe as resident after resident shared their photos of the northern lights over Florida's Deep South capital.

Facebook was a stream of pink and purple streaked across the night sky as residents – often from powerless homes – stepped outside to get a clear look at a rare phenomenon never seen in Tallahassee.

As USA TODAY reported, the Northern Lights provided a rare sight for residents across the U.S. and around the world on Friday evening, with a powerful solar storm fueling a spectacle that was seen as far south as the Florida Keys.

Strong solar flares that the sun has been emitting since Wednesday morning were responsible for the northern lights being visible across much of North America and Europe.

Seven coronal mass ejections began entering Earth's outer atmosphere on Friday, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said. The agency issued a rare severe (G4) geomagnetic storm warning this week for the first time in 19 years, but announced Friday evening that extreme (G5) conditions reached Earth at 6:54 p.m. Eastern Time. The last extreme event occurred with the “Halloween storms” in October 2003.

With the sun at the peak of its 11-year cycle, conditions were optimal for the auroras to produce a light show that electrified sky watchers and appeared to far more Americans than usual.

“The same day of potentially worst weather in Tallahassee ends with the appearance of the Aurora Borealis,” one commenter wrote. “Really a remarkable day.”

While aurora forecasts are notoriously fickle, NOAA experts said the light show could be visible through Sunday.

The best Northern Lights are usually seen within an hour or two after midnight (between 10:00 p.m. and 2:00 a.m. local time). According to NOAA, these hours extend into the evening and morning as geomagnetic activity increases.

However, the National Weather Service expressed pessimism about this possibility. They said the geomagnetic storm may not be strong enough to be visible this far south.

“However, it should be noted that the Aurora performed above average yesterday,” the agency wrote on Facebook.

“While the weather forecast may not be promising for us in the south, the best chance of seeing the Northern Lights is to be in light pollution-free skies (away from cities). There will be some mid-level clouds tonight, but coverage appears to be low across the region, especially east of Alabama. So keep those expectations low for tonight, but hope for the best!”

If we're lucky, Tallahassee Democratic photographer Alicia Devine offers this tip for those who want to capture a photographic memento of the celestial moment.

In Florida it is difficult to see with the naked eye. However, as your eyes adjust to the darkness, you may be able to spot the telltale pink hue.

Take a photo of the sky with your phone in night mode, she says.

“The yellow icon in the top left of your phone should be yellow and flashing,” she said. “When you take a picture, you must hold the phone still for three seconds for the shutter button to fully complete the image.”

USA TODAY's JJ Hensley and Douglas Soule contributed to this story.

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Florida's northern lights spark collective awe after day of tornadoes