Strong' solar storm warning issued as two CMEs will hit Earth tomorrow
Prepare, sky gazers and tech geeks. The Space Weather Prediction Center, SWPC, issued G3 (Strong) Geomagnetic Storm alerts for October 4-6, 2024.
This alert comes timely with two coronal mass ejections (CMEs) that are expected to reach Earth this weekend.
A geomagnetic storm occurs when the solar wind, a stream of charged particles coming from the Sun, collides with the Earth’s magnetic field.
These storms can severely disrupt satellite operations, GPS systems, and even power grids. As interesting as it would be to see them occur, really strong geomagnetic storms can have profound effects in our lives.
According to the National Weather Service’s Space Weather Prediction Center, officials indicated that the flare was at a level of X9.0 and occurred at 8:18 a.m. Eastern Time on October 3.
This comes just days after another significant flare from the same region on the sun, known as Active Region 3842.
The recent X9.0 flare is notable because it’s one of the strongest we’ve seen in this solar cycle. For context, only an X8.7 flare on May 14, 2024 surpassed it in intensity.
“Solar activity reached high levels with six M-class flares and one X-class flare,” noted the Space Weather Prediction Center. “The X9.0 occurred at 8:08 a.m. from Region 3842.”
Two incoming CMEs
According to the SWPC forecasters, “When these CMEs arrive at Earth, strong geomagnetic storms are likely to occur. Watches of this length and magnitude are infrequent, but not uncommon.”
These two CMEs were spotted off the southwest limb of the Sun at specific times:
The first CME was observed at 03/2036 UTC, linked to an M6/2b flare at 03/2028 UTC.
The second CME came from a different flare, an M4/1n, observed at 04/0455 UTC.
Both eruptions originated from Region 3842, a sunspot area known for its activity. Preliminary models suggest that the first CME might give Earth a “glancing blow” on October 7.
Tracking the sunspots
Sunspots are cooler areas on the Sun’s surface with intense magnetic activity. The regions mentioned — 3842, 3844, 3841, 3843, and the newly numbered 3849 — are all areas of interest for scientists monitoring solar activity.