In the coming days, geomagnetic storms are predicted to strike the Earth directly, according to space weather scientists.
The impending space weather event comes when a solar storm dust cloud bombards the Blue Planet, according to the most recent reports within the past 24 hours.
Some of these reports involve not only the arrival of geomagnetic storms, but also solar radiation storms and radio blackouts, putting in danger a variety of living organisms as well as radio frequencies, the electrical grid system, and satellites.
In recent months, the frequency of these space storms has grown.
However, space authorities such as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) highlighted that this might rise more by the end of the year as the Sun’s solar cycle gets more active.
In Southeast Asia and Australia, mᴀssive blackouts have been observed in recent months, impacting the electrical infrastructure.
Despite the regularity, there have been no solar storms of severe or critical scale this year, in comparison to the “Carrington Event,” which is believed to be the most violent magnetic storm in recorded history.
The big solar flare of 1959 has not occurred again, at least not at this time, despite triggering widespread power system outages, migratory bird disruptions, and the Northern Lights or Aurora Borealis in the Northern Hemisphere.
According to space.com, a succession of severe solar storms will continue to impact Earth in the following days, especially for the duration of the weekend.
The approaching solar danger materialized when a major solar eruption in the form of a coronal mᴀss ejection (CME) happened on Thursday, July 21, this week from the sun, the only star in our solar system.
The geomagnetic storm or so-called solar storm cloud likely peaked on July 22 and 23, Friday and Saturday.
However, there have been no reports of severe solar storm-related occurrences on multiple continents, despite the fact that North America and Europe have historically been vulnerable to such phenomena.
Even though the CME occurred on Thursday, the Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) forecasts that geomagnetic activity will persist from Sunday through Tuesday, July 24 to July 26.
Space weather risks such as geomagnetic storms, solar radiation storms, and radio blackouts are conceivable at this time.
CMEs, along with solar flares, are forms of solar storms that emit high-energy particles, resulting in the emission of the aforementioned dangers; they are the source of the most recent impending threat.
According to NASA, a huge CME contains billions of tonnes of materials that may travel at speeds of up to a million miles per hour.
Although they are often connected with solar flares, they may occur independently.
Since the Sun is reaching its solar activity peak in 2025, it is likely that solar storms will persist in the coming months.
Reference(s): Space.com, SpaceWeather.com