The series of solar storms that have pummeled Earth continues
as forecasters at the NOAA Space Environment
Center in Boulder, Colo., observed three more explosions on the sun
during the past 24 hours. The largest flare produced a coronal mass ejection,
CME, that could strike Earth’s magnetic field by midday Monday. Forecasters
are predicting a strong to severe (G-3 to G-4) storm for Monday and Tuesday,
as measured by the NOAA
space weather scales that run 1 to 5. This storming will provide another
chance for those in the northern tier of the U.S. to see the northern
lights or Aurora Borealis. (
Click
here to view latest solar images. Please credit “NOAA.”)
Strong solar
radiation and radio blackout storms were in progress on Sunday as a result
of the large eruptions. NOAA sun spot regions 486 and 488, which produced
these flares, are gradually moving to the western part of the sun and
should be rotating out of sight in the next day or so. This might provide
Earth with a break from the severe space storms it has experienced over
the last 10 days. However, these regions could return to the front side
of the sun in several weeks as they rotate back into view. In the 11-year
solar cycle, The Earth is currently about three years past solar maximum.
Solar maximum is the time when the sun is most active. Right now the sun
is in its solar minimum phase.
NOAA is dedicated to enhancing economic security and national safety through
the prediction and research of weather and climate-related events and
providing environmental stewardship of the nationís coastal and marine
resources. NOAA is part of the U.S.
Department of Commerce.
Relevant
Web Sites
NOAA Space Environment Center
NOAA
Solar X-ray Imager — Latest Views of the Sun
Media
Contact:
Barbara
McGehan, NOAA Space Environment Center,
(303) 497-6288
