Increased Likelihood Of Northern Lights Visible Across Minnesota
Did you know that NOAA has a Space Weather Prediction Center? It sounds like something out of the world of sci-fi, but it's true. The Space Weather Prediction Center is used primarily to detect coronal mass ejections from the sun. (CMEs). There were several events that happened earlier this week. They should hit Earth sometime this afternoon and possibly overnight.
Solar CMEs Detected On June 2, Heading To Earth
Three of the coronal mass ejections happened on Tuesday afternoon. The first is likely to hit Earth, and the second and third CMEs are a bit more northward directed. It's likely that we'll see the geomagnetic storm hit Earth, but the severity is hard to predict.
Geomagnetic Storm Impact G3 Level
The NOAA scales for geomagnetic storms are used to predict disruptions that may occur to satellites, instruments, and electronics on Earth. A G3 storm means that power systems could need voltage corrections. False alarms could be triggered on electronic protection devices.
In space, surface charging can occur on satellite components. Low Earth satellites could experience an increase in drag, meaning orbital corrections may be needed. There could also be interruptions to HF radio and GPS navigation systems.
The G3 storm watch is in effect tomorrow, which means overnight, you should be able to see the Northern Lights. That's if we have clear skies.