Solar storm produces aurora, may disrupt grids and satellites
US meteorological authorities report a major solar storm has begun hitting Earth and warn it could cause disruptions to power grids and satellite systems while producing northern lights visible as far south as Portugal. Authorities advise operators of critical infrastructure and satellite services to monitor space鈥憌eather alerts and prepare for possible interference. Those relying on satellite communications, GPS鈥憇ensitive services, or with critical power needs should follow official updates.
A solar storm occurs when the Sun ejects large bursts of charged particles and magnetic fields (for example, coronal mass ejections) that interact with Earth's magnetosphere, causing geomagnetic storms. These storms can disrupt satellites, GPS and radio communications, induce currents in power grids, and produce visible aurora far from the poles (including in Portugal during strong events); agencies such as NOAA use a G1鈥揋5 scale to indicate storm severity and likely impacts.
