Solar Storm Impacting Earth

Solar Storm

A solar flare erupted from the sun on March 6, 2012.  NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center continues to monitor and forecast this solar event along with potential impacts to satellites, power grids and communication and navigation systems.

Event Impacts:

Power Grid:  Weak power grid fluctuations are possible.

HF Communication: Unusable at higher latitudes in the Polar regions. Commercial airlines are avoiding Polar routes.

Satellite:  Minor impact on satellite operations possible.

Aurora (Northern Lights): The Aurora Forecast from NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center depicts how far away viewers on the ground could see the Aurora.

Share your pictures of the Aurora on the Space Weather Prediction Center’s Facebook


The above model animation shows the coronal mass ejection as it heads to Earth.  The white through yellow and orange plumes indicate the density of the coronal mass ejection The sun is centered as an orange circle with the size of Earth represented in relative scale which is a small dot compared to the size of the Sun and the coronal mass ejection.



Joe Kunches with NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center further explains this week's Solar Storm.



Robert Rutledge, a forecaster at NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center, discusses how NOAA monitors space weather events, models their impact on Earth, and works with commercial sectors to protect lives and property.

