Sun launches explosion of electromagnetic energy towards Earth - Geomagnetic Storm Watch issued

The sun just released the equivalent of a massive solar belch, sending highly charged coronal matter across the solar system. Some of the sun's energy will reach our atmosphere Wednesday night and Thursday, motivating stargazers to look toward the night sky in anticipation of the colorful, shimmering northern lights.

After several months of hiatus, the sun has awoken into a new period of solar activity. An impressive solar flare and Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) December 7 hurled plasma and magnetic field toward earth.

If your favorite radio station crackles with static or your GPS strays by a few yards, it's not just another byproduct of a crazy year. The incoming solar weather can actually cause communication disruptions such as GPS positioning errors and interference within our power grid. NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center says that the potential exists for strong storm levels "if the magnetic field carried with the CME connects well with Earth's magnetosphere."

Sun launches explosion of electromagnetic energy towards Earth: Geomagnetic Storm Watch issued


This storm is heading right at Earth. Luckily it is not an X class flair or it would be a kill shot.

It is possible this storm still may disrupt the power grid and could cause other problems.

They keep talking about hardening the grid because what CME's and EMP's could do to our modern way of life.

I would not want to be in a big city when the grid is taken out.

a reply to: LookingAtMars

I remember back in 2012 or so, we had CME threads damn near every other day.

I knew the sun was a terrorist!

As a ginger the sunburns I’ve incurred for years seem so prophetic now....

Anyway thank you for this meat and potatoes ATS OP

a reply to: LookingAtMars

This storm is heading right at Earth. Luckily it is not an X class flair or it would be a kill shot.

An X class flare is not a "kill shot", but this not a flare at all. It's a CME. CMEs are not classed but this one was associated with a C Class flare on the 7th.

It is possible this storm still may disrupt the power grid and could cause other problems.

Not much, actually. A G3 storm:

Power systems: Voltage corrections may be required, false alarms triggered on some protection devices.

www.swpc.noaa.gov...

According to what I have read, this year is supposed to be a bad CME year. This is a tiny one compared to what is to come they say.

And so it begins. Even the sun has had enough of this bull# and is gonna roast us all. Nice knowing y'all

a reply to: rickymouse

this year is supposed to be a bad CME year.

Why?
Solar cycle 25 has just begun. According to some we are now in a deep solar minimum. Those some say that because of low solar activity we're entering an ice age. Hadn't you heard?

And so it begins. Even the sun has had enough of this bull# and is gonna ̷r̷o̷a̷s̷t̷ freeze us all. Nice knowing y'all

a reply to: Phage

The storm , as I said above, is headed right at Earth. If the storm was from an X class flair. It would be a kill shot.

From the OP:

The incoming solar weather can actually cause communication disruptions such as GPS positioning errors and interference within our power grid.

and interference within our power grid

originally posted by: rickymouse
According to what I have read, this year is supposed to be a bad CME year. This is a tiny one compared to what is to come they say.

It's small... but it is a bullseye.

It could still do damage because of that.

a reply to: LookingAtMars

If the storm was from an X class flair. It would be a kill shot.

We've been hit by many CMEs which were associated with X class flares. They didn't kill us.

and interference within our power grid

Yes, when you get up to G4 and G5 levels you can get power problems. This ain't that. I'll take what NOAA says over what CNN says when it comes to science, thank you.

You folks up north will probably get a nice light show though.

originally posted by: Phage
a reply to: LookingAtMars

If the storm was from an X class flair. It would be a kill shot.

We've been hit by many CMEs which were associated with X class flares. They didn't kill us.

and interference within our power grid

Yes, when you get up to G4 and G5 levels you can get power problems. This ain't that. I'll take what NOAA says over what CNN says when it comes to science, thank you.

Got a link for these many storms from X flairs, that have hit Earth with a direct hit? Glancing blow maybe.

Lol, it's not me saying it.

I quoted it and bolded it for you and you say it's me saying it.

a reply to: LookingAtMars

I quoted it and bolded it for you and you say it's me saying it.

You did say it. As I pointed out in my first post.

It is possible this storm still may disrupt the power grid and could cause other problems.

But I edited the last one.

a reply to: Phage

I linked and quoted the info in the story.

You didn't trust the info, because it was from me.

The info was not from me.

ETA-

Still waiting on a link where Earth has taken a direct hit from a storm caused by a X class flair.

If it has happened many times it should not be hard to find one.

To me this is the likely cause for earth's demise eventually...or should I say our civilization on earth.

a reply to: putnam6

And we could protect against it. We have had decades to harden our grid and infrastructure.

We should have built up spare parts at least. Maybe even started manufacturing the parts in the US.

Aw shucks the forecast in my area is cloudy/rain for the next week. I'm going to miss out on the light show T-T

I wonder if this has anything to do with the huge winds we are coping here in Sydney this arvo?

a reply to: LookingAtMars

a reply to: LookingAtMars

I linked and quoted the info in the story. You didn't trust the info, because it was from me. The info was not from me.

It was from CNN , and just another "glorified headline" to get folks' clicks .
"One born every minute" - P.T. Barnum

originally posted by: Gothmog
a reply to: LookingAtMars

I linked and quoted the info in the story. You didn't trust the info, because it was from me. The info was not from me.

It was from CNN , and just another "glorified headline" to get folks' clicks .
"One born every minute" - P.T. Barnum

Oh yeah, well come back here and tell me that after the grid goes down.