(KNSI)—The Northern Lights will likely be on full display towards the end of the week, but this could come with a huge cost.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Space Weather Prediction Center says a massive solar flare was observed on the surface of the sun Tuesday, resulting in what is known as a coronal mass ejection.
That energy, consisting of plasma and magnetic fields from the sun, will hurtle through space and hit the Earth’s atmosphere on Thursday and Friday. In anticipation, NOAA has issued a severe, or G4, geomagnetic storm watch. Our planet naturally tries to divert solar energy to the poles, but a severe storm overwhelms that layer of protection.
While sky watchers are sure to be pleased with the results, a G4 storm has the potential to wreak havoc on technology and utility systems. The SWPC says they have contacted communications, radio and satellite, power grid, and navigation system operators to warn them. A G4 storm is so powerful that the Northern Lights will likely dip as far south as Alabama and Northern California.
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