Solar storm heading to Earth today; Here's all you need to know
A giant explosion erupted on the solar surface and it could lead to a possible geomagnetic storm on Earth. NOAA forecasters have predicted that a minor G1-class geomagnetic storm could hit Earth sooner than you think as the planet enters a high-speed stream of solar wind. “The gaseous material is flowing from a southern hole in the sun's atmosphere,” states the report. For the unversed, the Geomagnetic storms are measured on "G scale" from 1 to 5 with G1 being minor and G5 being extreme. These high-speed solar winds emerge from the Sun's coronal holes- the areas in the sun's upper atmosphere.
A G1 geomagnetic storm has the ability to cause minor fluctuations in power grids and stop some satellite functions including the GPS systems. However, extreme G5-class geomagnetic storms that can disrupt a planet's magnetic field powerfully enough to send satellites tumbling to Earth or cause large-scale blackouts, communications disturbances and more. In fact, a geomagnetic storm can also confuse birds as they are dependant on the Earth's magnetic field to find their direction while migrating. Solar storms erupting from the sun usually take around 15 to 18 hours to reach Earth.
The Sun is currently in its 11-year solar cycle and that's why solar flare eruptions grow more intense and extreme. As a result, it has been throwing up solar filaments and brewing sunspots.
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