Severe solar storm expected to supercharge northern lights on Friday
The Space Weather Prediction Center has issued its first "severe geomagnetic storm watch" since 2005, anticipating a severe solar storm that could supercharge the northern lights. Auroras might be visible as far south as Alabama.
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Forecasters from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Space Weather Prediction Center in Boulder, Colorado, warned of a series of solar flares and eruptions that could lead to severe geomagnetic storms and “spectacular displays of aurora” on Earth from Friday evening through the weekend.
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"We have a rare event on our hands," said Shawn Dahl, a service coordinator at the center. "We're a little concerned. We haven't seen this in a long time."
The last time such a severe geomagnetic storm watch was issued was in 2005.
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Due to the potential disruptions caused by strong geomagnetic storms to communications, power grids, and satellites, satellite and grid operators have been notified to prepare for possible impacts.
Forecasters suggest the storm could arrive as soon as about 8 p.m. ET on Friday, though precise timing is difficult to predict given the vast distance from the sun to Earth.
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To better understand the solar wind and its potential effects, NASA's Advanced Composition Explorer spacecraft, orbiting about 1 million miles from Earth, will aid forecasters in measurements and timing.
The northern lights, or aurora borealis, result from charged particles emitted by the sun during solar storms. These particles interact with Earth's magnetic field and upper atmosphere to create the colorful displays.
While auroras typically illuminate the night sky at high latitudes, during intense solar activity, they can be observed farther south than usual.
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