Heightened photo voltaic exercise has spurred the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Space Weather Prediction Center to challenge a geomagnetic storm watch for Dec. 25.
An incoming coronal mass ejection (CME) may unfold aurora cheer this Christmas. Its anticipated arrival is predicted to spark minor geomagnetic storm situations with auroras doable at excessive latitudes, comparable to northern Michigan and Maine.
The CME left the solar on Dec. 23 throughout a robust M8.9 photo voltaic flare eruption and is presently on observe to land Earth with a glancing blow.
When CMEs strike Earth’s magnetosphere, they carry electrically charged particles referred to as ions that collide with our planet’s magnetic subject. These collisions can spark geomagnetic storms. During these storms, ions collide with atmospheric gases, releasing power that manifests as gentle. This creates the beautiful shows often called the northern lights, or Aurora Borealis, within the Northern Hemisphere, and the southern lights, or Aurora Australis, within the Southern Hemisphere.
NOAA classifies geomagnetic storms utilizing a G-scale, which ranks their depth from G1 (minor) to G5 (excessive). The current geomagnetic storm watch issued by NOAA is presently rated as a G1, indicating minor storm situations.
When will the geomagnetic storm happen?
Current forecasts predict doable G1 situations on Dec. 25. Check out NOAA’s 3-day forecast for the most recent timings.
Space climate physicist Tamitha Skov has supplied an informative area climate forecast for the times forward in a submit on X.
A set of #solarstorms is available in time for the vacation festivities! A wispy storm is predicted on the twenty fourth, with greater impacts following. #Aurora doable to mid-latitudes on Christmas Day. Amateur #radio & #GPS operators count on average noise on the dayside radio bands this week. pic.twitter.com/CY3EbhO3hJDecember 24, 2024
Keep in thoughts that area climate, very like Earth’s climate, is unpredictable and tough to forecast. Even although geomagnetic storm warnings at this stage are uncommon, they’ll sometimes quantity to nothing.
Northern Hemisphere aurora forecast courtesy of the Met Office
If you are considering monitoring area climate and figuring out when and the place to identify auroras, obtain an area climate app that gives forecasts primarily based in your location. One choice I take advantage of is “My Aurora Forecast & Alerts,” accessible for each iOS and Android. However, any comparable app ought to work properly. I additionally use the “Space Weather Live” app, which is accessible on iOS and Android, to get a deeper understanding of whether or not the present area climate situations are favorable for aurora sightings.
