Space watchers warn of imminent solar storms and aurorae

Astronomers are warning that Earth could be hit any minute by space weather and intense aurora borealis following the sun’s April 1 venting of the most powerful category of solar flare.

The Space Weather Prediction Center, part of the US government’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, said the same day that there is a 25% chance of x-class flares being blasted in Earth’s direction in the days up to April 5.

“If such an eruption occurs and is accompanied by a CME [coronal mass ejection] Earth could experience strong geomagnetic storms, which may lead to disruptions in radio communications, satellite operations and GPS systems, but also enhance the chances of breathtaking auroras,” according to Space.com.

Scientists have warned that other sunspots, some of them even more volatile than the spot that let loose the April 1 flare, have yet to face Earth but will do so later as the sun rotates during a period known as a solar maximum.

According to the French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS), solar activity is “probably about to reach its peak,” bringing with it the potential for not only breathtaking displays of aurora borealis or Northern Lights, but geomagnetic storms that “alter the distribution of electrons in the atmosphere.”

These storms can in turn cause havoc with technology and communications, raising the prospect of disruptions, such as GPS-based car navigation systems going haywire.

A more dire scenario could be a repeat of the massive solar outbursts seen centuries ago. These largely caused little harm to people, however that was because they mostly took place prior to the development of the complex network of high-maintenance technologies that society now relies upon.

Scientists and engineers have warned that a major solar event now could fry power grids and zap satellites, ruining not only global communications but electricity-based necessities such as water pumps, refrigeration, factories and banks.

“One thing is certain: solar storms will be getting more powerful over the next few months,” the CNRS warned.