Severe solar storm conditions could hamper ongoing recovery efforts from hurricanes Helene and Milton , disrupting satellite communications, power grids and GPS services, the U.S. Space Weather Prediction Center warned Thursday
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A coronal mass ejection (CME) struck Earth this morning at 11:17 a.m., disrupting magnetic field and achieving G4 (severe) geomagnetic storm conditions at 12:57 p.m., the agency said.
The solar storm comes as the Sun approaches – or possibly is – at – the peak of its 11-year cycle, when its activity increases. The storm is expected to persist through today and tomorrow, with the potential to reach G5 (extreme) levels – the highest category of geomagnetic storm – last seen in May, when it produced vivid auroras visible far from the poles.
The SWPC said it has notified the Federal Emergency Management Agency and state agencies about the effects of the solar storm, which are already overwhelmed as they respond to the aftermath of Hurricanes Helene and Milton.
See also: The Sun emits the strongest flare in its current cycle
CMEs – huge clouds of plasma and their accompanying magnetic fields ejected from the Sun – can wreak havoc on Earth’s magnetosphere, which protects the planet from radiation . They can affect satellites, radio signals and GPS positioning systems.
They also pose a threat to electricity grids: the “Halloween Storms” of October 2003 caused power outages in Sweden and destroyed electricity infrastructure in South Africa.
May's solar storms rendered the precision GPS systems used by American farmers in the Midwest and Great Plains useless, resulting in economic losses, and in the same way it could affect hurricane recovery.
They also caused the destruction of some high-voltage transformers, although without a large-scale outage in the grid. About 5,000 satellites required orbital adjustments due to increased atmospheric drag, Shawn Dahl of the SWPC said during a briefing Wednesday.
See also: Solar maximum is approaching, is it dangerous for Earth?
For those at favorable latitudes – possibly as far south as northern California or Alabama in the United States – the auroras will be most visible away from city lights, in the darkest sky.
Source: sciencealert
