‘Severe geomagnetic storm watch’ – the first in nearly 20 years – is issued with NOAA warning the world’s power grids, communication networks and satellite operations could be impacted
- The unusually powerful solar storm is expected to hit around noon Friday
The Feds predict that an unusually powerful solar storm will occur in space on Friday, potentially affecting millions of Americans.
The “unusual event,” as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) put it in an emergency bulletin on Thursday, would be the first in nearly two decades if it materializes.
It follows a series of solar flares that began on Wednesday, during which several large ejections of plasma from the Sun’s corona – the outermost part of the atmosphere – were observed.
That cleared the way for Friday’s warning, where officials said the expulsion of matter and magnetic field could cause geomagnetic storms and problems for Earth’s inhabitants.
These storms could cause electronic devices such as GPS and parts of power grids to malfunction, they warned – citing how this could drape much of the country in a spectacular circle of light stretching from California to Alabama.
A solar or geomagnetic storm is a major disturbance of the Earth’s magnetosphere – the region around the Earth governed by the planet’s magnetic field – often caused by CMEs. Pictured: A coronal mass ejection (CME) from the Sun as captured by NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory satellite on June 17, 2015
The emergency alert read: “NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) – a division of the National Weather Service – is monitoring the Sun following a series of solar flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs) that began on May 8.”
“NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) – a division of the National Weather Service – is monitoring the sun following a series of solar flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs) that began on May 8,” the emergency alert read.
“Space weather forecasters have issued a Severe (G4) Geomagnetic Storm Watch for Friday evening.
“Additional solar outbursts could cause geomagnetic storm conditions to persist through the weekend,” the report continued, before describing the anomalous activity that alerted space specialists.
“A large sunspot cluster has produced several moderate to strong solar flares since Wednesday at 5 a.m. ET,” it said.
‘At least five eruptions have been associated with CMEs that appear to be aimed at Earth. SWPC forecasters will monitor NOAA and NASA space assets for the onset of a geomagnetic storm.”
The agency went on to define CMEs: explosions of plasma and magnetic fields from the sun’s corona.
They cause geomagnetic storms when aimed at Earth, they warned – and this was already the case early Friday.
Solar flares can damage satellites and incur enormous financial costs. The charged particles could also threaten airlines by disrupting the Earth’s magnetic field
“Additional solar outbursts could cause geomagnetic storm conditions to persist through the weekend,” before describing the anomalous activity that alerted space specialists
“Geomagnetic storms can impact infrastructure in near-Earth orbit and on the Earth’s surface,” the statement continued – noting how the storm “may [disrupt] communications, the power grid, navigation, radio and satellite operations.”
It could also wipe out the internet for some, scientists further warned — as NOAA upgraded the Geomagnetic Storm Watch from moderate to severe from moderate to severe from Friday through Sunday late Thursday
“SWPC has notified the operators of these systems so that they can take protective measures,” officials wrote in administering the action.
“Geomagnetic storms can also produce spectacular displays of aurora on Earth,” they added of some of the potential storm’s more scenic side effects.
“With a severe geomagnetic storm, there is a chance that aurora could be seen as far south as Alabama and Northern California.”
The aurora – a natural light show in Earth’s sky – is said to be somewhat reminiscent of the recognizable Northern Lights.
A solar or geomagnetic storm is a major disturbance of the Earth’s magnetosphere – the region around the Earth that is governed by the planet’s magnetic field.
“With a severe geomagnetic storm, there is a possibility that aurora could be seen as far south as Alabama and Northern California,” officials wrote Thursday. The aurora – a natural light show in Earth’s sky – is said to be somewhat reminiscent of the recognizable Northern Lights
As noted in the warning, this is caused by CMEs – with Friday’s storm rated ‘G4’ (on a scale of one to five), a marking that constitutes a ‘severe’ storm.”
More to follow…