ORLANDO, Fla. – The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the National Weather Service issued a Geomagnetic Storm Watch for Monday and Tuesday as the largest solar flare since 2017 heads our way at the peak of the Solar Cycle 25.
Officials said a coronal mass ejection was “observed lifting off of the Sun” on Saturday and could cause moderate geomagnetic storming on Monday and Tuesday.
Recommended Videos
In addition, solar flares from Solar Cycle 25 can possibly interfere with radio signals on Earth, according to NOAA.
The X5 solar flare was observed by NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center and officials said it can impact high-frequency radio communications, which are used by ham radio operators, some commercial airlines and by several government agencies.
According to the NOAA, HF radio users may experience a temporary or complete loss of signal on the sunlit side of the earth.
The general public should not be concerned, officials say.
[EXCLUSIVE: Become a News 6 Insider (it’s FREE) | PINIT! Share your photos]
During the peak of Solar Cycle 25, earthlings can expect to see more sunspots, which is a “region of intense magnetic activity capable of producing solar flares and coronal mass ejections,” the NOAA said.
The flares emit radiation that travels at the speed of light and can reach the sunlit side of the earth in 8 minutes. The flares are mostly in the form of ultraviolet light and X-rays.
Those “energetic blasts” are what can interfere with radio signals and can last anywhere from minutes to hours. A strong solar flare briefly interrupted aircraft communications on Dec. 14, 2023, according to the NOAA.
Officials said this period of elevated activity can last up to several years, with impactful space weather events possible in 2024.
The National Weather Service and NOAA said in Oct. 2020 that Solar Cycle 25, which began in 2019, was expected to peak between January and October 2024.
Officials said the aurora, also known as Northern Lights, from the Geomagnetic Storm may become visible in some northern and upper Midwest states from New York to Idaho.
Sorry, Floridians.
Get today’s headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily: