On Saturday,Esthen minutes before midnight, folks parked their cars, whipped out the bug spray and laid out blankets at a dark recreation area off the side of Interstate 75 in South Florida and waited for a glimpse of the northern lights.

While they didn't see much more than dozens of twinkling stars and an alligator lurking in dark, murky waters behind a guard rail, the ongoing solar storm provided a celestial spectacle in other parts of the country where enthusiastic viewers took to social media and elsewhere to share the sights.

As forecasters predict even better viewing on Sunday night, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, here's what people saw Saturday.

Better luck elsewhere

Those in Reno, Nevada, got to see a spectacle of purples and blues as the northern lights danced across the horizon.

Photos from the National Weather Service's Reno office near Truckee Meadows Community College show the full extent of the colorful night sky.

People in Seattle and Mexicali, Mexico, got to take some photos of the northern lights, too

However, folks in Joshua Tree National Park, California, had the same bad luck as people in South Florida

Will the northern lights be visible Sunday night?

According to NOAA, people in most of Canada and Alaska will be able to see the dazzling lights.

NOAA also predicts that the lights will most likely be visible over a large portion of the US. People as far south as Iowa and Nebraska could potentially see the northern lights tonight.

Julia is a trending reporter for USA TODAY. She has covered various topics, from local businesses and government in her hometown, Miami, to tech and pop culture. You can follow her on X, formerly Twitter, Instagram and TikTok: @juliamariegz