Geomagnetic storms are disturbances in the Earth’s magnetic field that last minutes or hours and are caused by coronal mass ejections (CMEs) and solar flares.
It has been reported that there are three CMEs heading towards Earth from the Sun.
The National Oceanographic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which measures the strength of these storms, says there is a chance of a strong G3 or even severe G4 geomagnetic storm, especially Wednesday into Thursday.
Although dangerous for astronauts, geomagnetic storms are not harmful to humans since the Earth’s atmosphere protects us from radiation.
However, these storms can sometimes disrupt satellites and also different types of electronic devices, such as phones.
For example, in 2017, two massive solar flares fired from the Sun’s surface disrupted devices such as GPS navigation systems on Earth.
And the Victorians also struggled with the space weather effect in 1859, when a huge solar flare caused a geomagnetic storm that interfered with railway signaling and telegraph lines. This became known as the Carrington Event.
The KP index is an alternative measure of geomagnetic activity that extends from KP1 to KP9. It can be used to indicate the southern extent of the aurora. This storm is classified as a rare KP8. This means the aurora could be visible in many parts of the UK, including the south, in the coming nights.
There may be effects on power grids and satellite navigation.
