Post by Centrifuge on Mar 7, 2012 15:55:10 GMT -6
An X5-level x-ray flare from the Sun Tuesday evening is already triggering high-frequency radio outages at Earth's poles and resulted in the current S3-level radiation storm (red areas on the map below -- these outages could last for a day or more). The blue and purple areas are the areas experiencing radio absorption of the lower shortwave radio spectrum. When a flare occurs these sunlit areas experience short-term radio outages. Also, a G1-level geomagnetic disturbance is underway that will be elevated to strong storm levels when the CME from this massive flare arrives. Geomagnetic storms could cause power grid and pipe line problems, but do result in radio propagation degradation on shortwave, and Aurora.
Impacts from the incoming space weather could appear as early as tonight with the start of geomagnetic storming.
X5.4 Flare + Earth Directed CME / Solar Watch March 7, 2012
Major X5.4 Solar Flare March 7, 2012
