‘Solar Tsunami’ Hits Earth, Promising Northern Lights Amid Potential Disruptions

A solar flare, as seen in the bright flash in the lower right, captured by NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory on May 9, 2024. (NASA/SDO via AP)

An unusually strong solar storm hitting Earth could produce northern lights in the United States this weekend and potentially disrupt power and communications.

In advance of the solar storm hitting, the Space Weather Prediction Center  (SWPC) of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) issued its first severe geomagnetic storm watch warning since January 2005.

The solar outburst reached Earth on Friday afternoon, hours sooner than anticipated. The effects were due to last through the weekend and possibly into next week.

The geomagnetic storm has been classified as G4, which is the second-strongest form of its kind and is the result of a massive and “complex” sunspot cluster in the NOAA region 3664, according to the SWPC. The sunspot cluster is reportedly around 16 times the diameter of Earth.

The most intense solar storm in recorded history, in 1859, prompted auroras in Central America and possibly even Hawaii. “We are not anticipating that,” but it could come close, said NOAA space weather forecaster Shawn Dahl.

Geomagnetic storms are caused when Coronal Mass Ejections, or CMEs, interact with the magnetic field of the Earth. According to a press release from SWPC on Thursday, scientists observed at least five Earth-directed CMEs from the massive sunspot. The number was later updated to seven.

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Solar physicist Keith Strong wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, described the geomagnetic storm as a “Solar Tsunami.”

“We are expecting wave after wave of coronal mass ejections to striking [sic] the Earth on 11th and 12th May. Solar wind speeds of about 800 km/s are possible. Strong and extended geomagnetic storms likely with aurora visible at lower-than-normal latitudes. Stay tuned,” he wrote.

As geomagnetic storms are caused when CMEs interact with the Earth’s magnetic field, they might disrupt satellite operations, power grids, communication systems, and more.

“Geomagnetic storms can impact infrastructure in near-Earth orbit and on Earth’s surface, potentially disrupting communications, the electric power grid, navigation, radio, and satellite operations,” SWPC said.

SWPC said it has notified the operators of these systems so they can take protective action.

“Infrastructure operators have been notified to take action to mitigate any possible impacts. Possible increased and more frequent voltage control problems - normally mitigable. Increased possibility of anomalies or effects to satellite operations. More frequent and longer periods of GPS degradation possible,” the center said.

“For most people here on planet Earth, they won’t have to do anything,” said Rob Steenburgh, a scientist with SWPC.

However, a geomagnetic storm as severe as this one can also “trigger spectacular displays of aurora on Earth.”

SWPC said aurora could be observed in the United States “as far south as Alabama and Northern California.”

But it was hard to predict and experts, such as Mr. Steenburgh, stressed it would not be the dramatic curtains of color normally associated with the northern lights, but more like splashes of greenish hues.

“That’s really the gift from space weather — the aurora,” said Mr. Steenburgh. He and his colleagues said the best aurora views may come from phone cameras, which are better at capturing light than the naked eye.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

From NTD News