2024-05-10 16:37:37
As indicated At NOAA’s Space Weather Forecast website, the geomagnetic storm will begin around 11 p.m. Friday. Lithuanian time, and will end at noon on Sunday.
At its peak on Saturday, between 9am and 12pm, the magnetic index Kp will reach 8.3, indicating a G4 geomagnetic storm (maximum strength is G5).
Since 12 o’clock on Wednesday (Lithuanian time), a large pool of Sunspots has caused several moderate and strong solar flares. At least five flashes were associated with CMEs. coronal mass ejection, lit. coronal mass ejections) that were directed towards Earth, writes NOAA.
CMEs are bursts of plasma and magnetic fields in the solar corona. When they are directed towards the Earth, they cause geomagnetic storms. Geomagnetic storms can affect infrastructure in near-Earth orbit and on the Earth’s surface, potentially disrupting communications, power grids, navigation, radio and satellites.
NOAA has alerted US operators of these systems to take protective measures.
A geomagnetic storm of this strength can cause an “impressive light show” – the Northern Lights, which can also be seen in Lithuania (although the Kp index will be the lowest at night).
2024-05-10 16:37:37