Rare G4 Solar Storm to Hit Earth Within Hours

2024-10-10 2024-10-10T16:11:55Z

Arab Weather - The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) warned of the possibility of the Earth being exposed to a severe solar storm that may increase the intensity of the aurora and affect power grids.

Chance to see the aurora borealis this weekend

There's a good chance you could be watching a spectacular light show in the sky over the weekend, according to meteorologists at NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center. A severe geomagnetic storm is expected to develop on Thursday and Friday, Oct. 10 and 11. The storm has been rated a G4, the second-highest level on the Geomagnetic Storm Scale, which measures the intensity and potential impact of storms.

Rare G4 Geomagnetic Storm

This geomagnetic storm is not unusual, as the Space Weather Prediction Center has issued a special warning of category G4. This is the second of its kind since 2005, the first was issued last May before a solar storm occurred that caused the appearance of distinctive aurora displays.

Cause: Massive solar flare

The storm was caused by a massive explosion on the Sun’s surface. On the night of Tuesday, October 8 , a sunspot known as AR 3848 unleashed a powerful X1.8-class solar flare. X-class flares are the most powerful type of solar flare, and they caused radio transmission blackouts in areas directly exposed to the Sun.

The solar flare was analyzed by SWPC experts using data collected by the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) spacecraft, and was found to be accompanied by a coronal mass ejection (CME), a massive cloud of solar particles and magnetic fields. The CME is estimated to be aimed directly at Earth, and is expected to trigger a powerful geomagnetic storm upon arrival.

Space weather alert
Yesterday's X class solar flare aimed at Earth produced an enormous full halo CME at our planet & Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS as it was passing. NOAA has forecast a severe G4 possible G5 level solar storm arriving at Earth's magnetosphere early Fri AM NZT. pic.twitter.com/hRhKSr0cPg

— Hauraki Gulf Weather (@HaurakiGulfWx) October 9, 2024

Effect of magnetic fields

The impact of this storm depends on how the magnetic fields of the coronal mass ejection interact with Earth's magnetic field, explained Sean Dahl, service coordinator at SWPC. Dahl said:

“If the magnetic fields are aligned, we may see a significant enhancement of the geomagnetic response.”

If the fields are not compatible, the effects may be less severe. He stressed that his team will continue to monitor the situation continuously to issue additional warnings and alerts as geomagnetic activity develops.

Coronal mass ejection heading towards Earth at breakneck speed

Meteorologists at the Astronomy Prediction Center in Southwest are reporting that the coronal mass ejection heading toward Earth is moving at an astonishing 2.7 million mph to 2.9 million mph (4.3 million kph to 4.7 million kph), some of the fastest speeds observed in a long time, said Sean Dahl, a meteorologist at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The ejection is expected to collide with Earth's magnetic field early Thursday morning.

Dahl described this resurgence as follows:

“It’s a shock front that arrives first, like a strong cold front moving across the United States. You get sudden strong winds, but it can take a while for the cold temperatures to show up,” he said. “We get the shock front arriving with an immediate increase in speed and strengthening of the magnetic field, but the strongest part of the magnetic field may be delayed a little bit until the magnetic cloud reaches the ground fully.”

#NEWS #G4 SEVERE Geomagnetic Storm Watch for Tonight and Tomorrow. Best chance Thursday PM. A Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) erupted from the sun and heading towards earth! These are charged particles riding solar wind. Check out the visualization by @NASA . #NorthernLights … pic.twitter.com/1MLWCZJxPF

— Sam Ryan (@SamRyanWX) October 9, 2024

The effect of geomagnetic storms on the Earth

Geomagnetic storms pose a threat to wireless communications, power grids , and even satellites orbiting the Earth. However, these storms add extra power to the aurora, making it more visible at lower latitudes than usual, which could provide a chance to see these magical lights in unconventional areas.

Rare opportunity to see the Northern Lights

If the upcoming geomagnetic storm strengthens and intensifies overnight, skywatchers in areas such as the Eastern Midwest, Lower Midwest, and Northern California may be able to see aurora displays, experts predict. To get a clearer idea of how the situation is developing, it’s recommended to keep an eye on the Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) website and use tools like the 30-minute instant forecast and live reports available on social media.

Despite the preparations, there remains some uncertainty about how this storm will develop. Monitoring the magnetic field and its strengthening is crucial, Dahl explained. He said:

“If the magnetic field moves south, the aurora will be more likely to appear, but if it stays north, it is less likely to expand south.”

Forecast: Will we see a strong storm?

Despite all expectations, the storm's full impact cannot be determined until it reaches land. Dahl added:

“We can’t say for sure whether this storm will be global like the one last May, or limited to certain regions. What we really need is to reach G5 levels for a widespread global phenomenon to recur.”