UPDATE -- Severe solar storm will generate auroras as far south as Alabama [View all]
03-24-2024
By Eric Ralls
Earth.com staff writer
A significant geomagnetic solar storm is currently in progress, sparked by recent solar eruptions that have hurled plasma towards Earth.
This atmospheric phenomenon is set to illuminate skies with the Northern Lights, extending unusually far south to regions including Alabama and Northern California as early as Monday.
NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center Update
March 24, 2024 at 6:00 pm Eastern Time
In an urgent communication dated March 24, 2024, the Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) announced a significant geomagnetic disturbance, marking a severe escalation in space weather conditions.
The issued alert highlighted a Geomagnetic K-index of 8, teetering on 9, a threshold that was crossed at 1628 UTC, within the synoptic period of 1500-1800 UTC.
This event has activated a severe (G4) warning on the NOAA Space Weather Scale, indicative of intense geomagnetic activity with potential wide-reaching impacts on both technology and natural phenomena.
Space Weather Scale explanation
The NOAA Space Weather Scale, a framework designed to categorize the severity of space weather events, details five levels of geomagnetic storms, G1 (Minor) to G5 (Extreme), each with distinct potential impacts on Earth’s infrastructure and environment.
The scale, which is thoroughly explained on the SWPC’s website, serves as a critical tool for understanding and preparing for the effects of space weather phenomena.
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