All articles tagged with #geomagnetic storm
The Carrington Event of 1859 unleashed a solar storm that drove geomagnetic currents along long telegraph lines, causing outages and fires while auroras lit skies as far apart as Cuba and Hawaii, demonstrating the vulnerability of modern infrastructure to space weather and spurring ongoing research into forecasting and mitigation for the electric grid.
Experts say it’s physically possible to see the northern lights during the Aug. 12, 2026 total solar eclipse, but the odds are very low. A strong geomagnetic storm (G4–G5) would need to align with the eclipse so daytime auroral activity appears in the sky near totality, and even then the sun’s corona during totality would typically outshine auroras near the Sun. Greenland or Iceland offer the best near-eclipse viewing, but overall it remains a rare coincidence; a pre-eclipse CME or the Perseid meteor shower could raise the odds, but expect it to be a rare sight if space weather cooperates at all.
A long-duration M1.9 solar flare from Active Region 4492 on July 30, with an associated filament eruption, produced an Earth-directed partial-halo CME and a minor solar radiation storm. WSA-Enlil model runs place the CME’s arrival at Earth around August 2, with NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center forecasting G1–G2 (Minor–Moderate) geomagnetic storm conditions. Solar wind parameters have been mostly nominal, but disturbances from July 26–27 CMEs and the July 30 CME could arrive; increased drag, potential voltage alarms on power systems, spacecraft orientation corrections, and radio fade are possible, with auroras potentially visible as far south as New York and Idaho under favorable conditions.
A WIRED study argues that Earth's magnetic response to solar wind may not have a true upper limit. By accounting for timing delays and variability in solar wind measurements, the apparent saturation disappears and the response appears linear, implying Carrington-scale storms could be about twice as damaging as older models predicted.
A February 2022 G1 geomagnetic storm briefly thickened Earth's thermosphere, increasing drag at the 210 km deployment altitude and causing 40 of 49 Starlink satellites from a single launch to reenter and burn up within days. The event prompted SpaceX to adjust deployment and attitude strategies, pushed space-weather forecasting to the forefront of risk planning for LEO assets, and led insurers to reassess satellite risk under variable solar activity.
On March 13, 1989, a solar coronal mass ejection induced currents that collapsed Quebec's Hydro-Québec grid in 90 seconds, leaving 6 million people without power for hours; the event exposed vulnerabilities of long-distance transmission to space weather and spurred major investments in grid protection and real-time solar forecasting across North America.
Geomagnetic storms induce voltages along the Earth’s longest conductors—power lines, pipelines, and undersea fiber cables—creating currents that can saturate transformers, cause outages, and disrupt global communications for weeks. The 1989 Hydro-Québec blackout is a key example, and a Carrington-class event could cripple continents if multiple transformers and shore-end equipment fail. Forewarning is limited (CME travel 1–3 days; ground-based signals give hours of lead time), while grid-hardening and monitoring efforts (including blocking certain DC paths and studying bedrock conductivity) are underway in places like New Zealand and Alaska to reduce risk. The Sun itself isn’t striking people; its magnetic field is coupling with long metal structures to carry the threat into modern life.
An incoming coronal mass ejection could hit Earth's magnetic field today, possibly triggering geomagnetic storms from G1 to G3 and boosting auroras into mid-latitudes across the northern U.S.; the strongest activity is expected 11 a.m.–2 p.m. EDT, with elevated chances into the evening, and auroras could be visible as far south as northern Michigan, Maine, New York, Idaho, Illinois, and Oregon depending on conditions. NOAA has issued a G3 watch for June 8 and a G2 watch for June 9.
A major solar outburst is driving geomagnetic activity that could produce auroras across roughly half the United States tonight, depending on weather and light conditions, with the northern tier most likely to see the lights and southern areas possible if skies stay clear.
NOAA has issued a G3 strong geomagnetic storm watch for Thursday night, with a chance of reaching G4, which could bring the northern lights to Washington. The display is tied to coronal mass ejections from the sun on June 3; viewing is best outside city lights between about 10 p.m. and 2 a.m., though an 82%-lit waning moon could hinder visibility. The aurora is expected to fade by Friday night.
A cannibal coronal mass ejection from sunspot 4455—a rare anti‑Hale sunspot—is expected to slam into Earth this afternoon, likely triggering strong geomagnetic storms (G3–G4) and widespread auroras visible as far south as 23 U.S. states, with NOAA projecting mid‑afternoon arrival and skywatchers from the Pacific Northwest to the Northeast potentially seeing the lights.
A renewed geomagnetic storm could bring another display of the northern lights to Utah, with visibility depending on solar activity and clear skies.
NOAA warns of a strong G3 geomagnetic storm on June 4–5 as multiple CMEs from sunspot region 4455 head toward Earth, potentially merging in a cannibal CME; this could spark auroras visible as far south as Illinois and Oregon after dark, with peak activity in the evenings and overnight hours, though timing and intensity remain uncertain.
Three solar flares aimed at Earth could boost geomagnetic activity and brighten the northern lights across much of the United States, but the exact intensity and timing of impacts on technology remain uncertain.
A severe-level aurora forecast expands to 23 U.S. states on Thursday as intensified solar activity drives geomagnetic storms that could produce vivid Northern Lights displays, weather permitting and under dark skies.