Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
Strong Solar Storm Could Disrupt Communications and Produce Northern Lights in US
gvw_ap_news
By Associated Press
Published 7 months ago on
May 10, 2024

An unusually strong solar storm is headed toward Earth, potentially disrupting power and communications, and producing northern lights in the U.S. (AP/NASA)

Share

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — An unusually strong solar storm headed toward Earth could produce northern lights in the U.S. this weekend and potentially disrupt power and communications.

The First Geomagnetic Storm Watch in 20 Years

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration issued a rare geomagnetic storm watch — the first in nearly 20 years. That was expected to become a warning Friday night, when the effects of the solar outburst were due to reach Earth.

NOAA already has alerted operators of power plants and spacecraft in orbit to take precautions.

“As far as the worst situation expected here at Earth, that’s tough to say and I wouldn’t want to speculate on that,” said NOAA space weather forecaster Shawn Dahl. “However, severe level is pretty extraordinary, It’s a very rare event to happen.”

Effects of the Solar Flares

NOAA said the sun produced strong solar flares beginning Wednesday, resulting in five outbursts of plasma capable of disrupting satellites in orbit and power grids here on Earth. Each eruption — known as a coronal mass ejection — can contain billions of tons of plasma and magnetic field from the sun’s outer atmosphere, or corona.

The flares seem to be associated with a sunspot that’s 16 times the diameter of Earth, according to NOAA. An extreme geomagnetic storm in 2003 took out power in Sweden and damaged power transformers in South Africa.

Potential Northern Lights Sightings

The latest storm could produce northern lights as far south in the U.S. as Alabama and Northern California, according to NOAA.

The most intense solar storm in recorded history, in 1859, prompted auroras in central America and possibly even Hawaii. “That’s an extreme-level event,” Dahl said. “We are not anticipating that” but it could come close.

RELATED TOPICS:

DON'T MISS

Richardson Close to Cementing Northeast Fresno Council Race

DON'T MISS

Visalia Motorcyclist Killed in Collision on Walnut Avenue

DON'T MISS

DOGE Is a Promising Step Toward Federal Efficiency: Fareed Zakaria

DON'T MISS

Listeria Outbreak Tied to Yu Shang Food Leaves California Infant Dead and 10 People Sick

DON'T MISS

UN Expert: Myanmar’s Desperate Military Ramps Up Attacks Including Beheadings, Rapes and Torture

DON'T MISS

Christine Pelosi Leads Charge to Ensure Every Vote Counts in Tight Duarte-Gray Race

DON'T MISS

Dolly Parton’s Wish? For Fresno County Children to Read

DON'T MISS

Man Found Dead in Fresno’s Roeding Park Identified as Bay Area Resident

DON'T MISS

Fresno Authorities Search for Domestic Violence Suspect Considered Armed and Dangerous

DON'T MISS

NBA Memo to Players Warns About Organized Home Break-Ins

UP NEXT

Visalia Motorcyclist Killed in Collision on Walnut Avenue

UP NEXT

DOGE Is a Promising Step Toward Federal Efficiency: Fareed Zakaria

UP NEXT

Listeria Outbreak Tied to Yu Shang Food Leaves California Infant Dead and 10 People Sick

UP NEXT

UN Expert: Myanmar’s Desperate Military Ramps Up Attacks Including Beheadings, Rapes and Torture

UP NEXT

Christine Pelosi Leads Charge to Ensure Every Vote Counts in Tight Duarte-Gray Race

UP NEXT

Dolly Parton’s Wish? For Fresno County Children to Read

UP NEXT

Man Found Dead in Fresno’s Roeding Park Identified as Bay Area Resident

UP NEXT

Fresno Authorities Search for Domestic Violence Suspect Considered Armed and Dangerous

UP NEXT

NBA Memo to Players Warns About Organized Home Break-Ins

UP NEXT

Fresno School Employees Say District’s Job Shifts Endanger Kids and Staff

Listeria Outbreak Tied to Yu Shang Food Leaves California Infant Dead and 10 People Sick

2 hours ago

UN Expert: Myanmar’s Desperate Military Ramps Up Attacks Including Beheadings, Rapes and Torture

2 hours ago

Christine Pelosi Leads Charge to Ensure Every Vote Counts in Tight Duarte-Gray Race

2 hours ago

Dolly Parton’s Wish? For Fresno County Children to Read

2 hours ago

Man Found Dead in Fresno’s Roeding Park Identified as Bay Area Resident

4 hours ago

Fresno Authorities Search for Domestic Violence Suspect Considered Armed and Dangerous

4 hours ago

NBA Memo to Players Warns About Organized Home Break-Ins

4 hours ago

Fresno School Employees Say District’s Job Shifts Endanger Kids and Staff

4 hours ago

Assemblymember Arambula Says He’ll Run for Fresno City Council

5 hours ago

Business, Environmental Interests Oppose South Fresno Industrial Plan. What’s Next?

5 hours ago

Richardson Close to Cementing Northeast Fresno Council Race

Nick Richardson is acting like a councilmember-elect, and the latest return numbers validate his confidence. Richardson, the Marine reservis...

2 minutes ago

2 minutes ago

Richardson Close to Cementing Northeast Fresno Council Race

13 minutes ago

Visalia Motorcyclist Killed in Collision on Walnut Avenue

1 hour ago

DOGE Is a Promising Step Toward Federal Efficiency: Fareed Zakaria

2 hours ago

Listeria Outbreak Tied to Yu Shang Food Leaves California Infant Dead and 10 People Sick

2 hours ago

UN Expert: Myanmar’s Desperate Military Ramps Up Attacks Including Beheadings, Rapes and Torture

2 hours ago

Christine Pelosi Leads Charge to Ensure Every Vote Counts in Tight Duarte-Gray Race

2 hours ago

Dolly Parton’s Wish? For Fresno County Children to Read

Solomone Toki, 44, of the Bay Area, was found dead in Fresno’s Roeding Park died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, police said. (Fresno PD)
4 hours ago

Man Found Dead in Fresno’s Roeding Park Identified as Bay Area Resident

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend