An intense geomagnetic storm is expected to impact Earth on Thursday, causing auroras to be visible in regions further south than usual. This announcement comes from a U.S. agency as the Sun approaches its peak activity cycle.
The height of this 11-year cycle witnessed the “most extreme” solar storm since 2003 back in May, which was triggered by a series of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) from the Sun. When these particles reach Earth, they disrupt its magnetic field, resulting in stunning auroras but also leading to degradation of high-frequency communications, disturbances for satellites, and overloads on the electrical grid.
“We predict the storm will arrive between tomorrow morning and noon,” corresponding to late morning to mid-afternoon GMT, “and it may persist” possibly until Friday, stated Shawn Dahl from the space weather agency associated with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) during a press briefing.
With particles traveling at speeds of four million kilometers per hour, the upcoming storm is classified as a level 4 geomagnetic storm on a scale of 5, according to the agency. The solar storm in May had reached level 5.
