Solar storm so powerful it’ll make Northern Lights visible over UK could knock out power lines and satellites
SOLAR winds kickstarted a huge geomagnetic storm this week, raising fears they could cripple power supplies across the globe.
The charged particles are coming from a coronal hole on the sun that is currently facing Earth.
If the Earth’s magnetic field were hit by these particles, the effects could include radar and satellite interference, which would cause problems with phone and internet networks and navigation services.
According to the US Space Weather Prediction Centre, geomagnetic conditions increased early Tuesday before waning by midday in the US, though the impact could be felt across the globe.
The power grid operator issued warnings after the centre raised a “serious” G3 level storm alert, though this warning was later downgraded to a less severe G2 storm, which remains in effect today.
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A spokesperson from the US Space Weather Prediction Centre said: “Voltage corrections may be required, false alarms triggered on some protection devices.
“Drag may increase on low-Earth-orbit satellites, and corrections may be needed for orientation problems.”
Solar storms have the ability to influence telecommunications and power infrastructure across the world.
The storms can cause voltage corrections and trigger false alarms in some power system equipment, and can also create drag on satellites in low-Earth orbits, which forces course corrections and disrupts navigation and high-frequency radio signals.
Speaking on the findings, the Met Office today said: “Elevated solar winds are expected throughout the period, with G1-G2 minor to moderate geomagnetic storms forecast.”
Parts of the sky across the globe are expected to light up with a pink and green glow tonight, as the change in solar activity makes skies clear and dark enough to witness the Northern Lights.
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