NOAA's forecast predicts continued solar activity, with more eruptions and emissions likely as the Sun approaches its 11-year solar maximum.
A major solar storm, the strongest since 2003, began to affect Earth on May 5, 2024. It causes spectacular aurora events visible as far south as Florida and southern California and may disrupt power grids, communications and navigation systems. This geomagnetic storm, classified as G5 (extreme), was caused by a sunspot cluster about 16 times the size of Earth, with ongoing solar flares expected to continue to affect Earth's magnetic field throughout the weekend and early next week.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has issued a storm warning, the first in 19 years, advising of possible impacts on infrastructure such as additional currents on power grids and disruptions to communications, especially for systems that rely on high frequency radio waves.
NOAA's forecast predicts continued solar activity, with more eruptions and emissions likely as the Sun approaches its 11-year solar maximum. However, the current sunspot cluster will soon rotate outside of Earth's direct path, which may reduce the likelihood of further immediate disturbances.
This rare solar event highlights the dynamic and powerful nature of our Sun and its ability to directly affect Earth.
People across Europe and the US have already seen the northern lights, which include bright green and purple hues. The event provides a unique opportunity to view not only the aurora borealis but also sunspots during the day with proper eye protection.
NOAA's forecast predicts continued solar activity, with more eruptions and emissions likely as the Sun approaches solar maximum in its 11-year cycle. The current sunspot cluster will soon rotate outside of Earth's direct path, which may reduce the likelihood of further immediate disturbances.
This rare solar event highlights the dynamic and powerful nature of our Sun and its ability to directly affect Earth.
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