Heightened photo voltaic exercise has spurred the Nationwide Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) House Climate Prediction Heart to challenge a geomagnetic storm watch for Dec. 25.
An incoming coronal mass ejection (CME) might unfold aurora cheer this Christmas. Its anticipated arrival is predicted to spark minor geomagnetic storm situations with auroras potential at excessive latitudes, corresponding to northern Michigan and Maine.
The CME left the solar on Dec. 23 throughout a strong 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 known as ions that collide with our planet’s magnetic subject. These collisions can spark geomagnetic storms. Throughout these storms, ions collide with atmospheric gases, releasing power that manifests as mild. This creates the beautiful shows generally known as 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?
Present forecasts predict potential G1 situations on Dec. 25. Take a look at NOAA’s 3-day forecast for the most recent timings.
House climate physicist Tamitha Skov has supplied an informative area climate forecast for the times forward in a publish 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 potential to mid-latitudes on Christmas Day. Novice #radio & #GPS operators count on average noise on the dayside radio bands this week. pic.twitter.com/CY3EbhO3hJDecember 24, 2024
Remember the fact that area climate, very similar to Earth’s climate, is unpredictable and tough to forecast. Despite the fact that geomagnetic storm warnings at this degree are uncommon, they’ll often quantity to nothing.
Northern Hemisphere aurora forecast courtesy of the Met Workplace
In case you’re eager about monitoring area climate and understanding when and the place to identify auroras, obtain an area climate app that gives forecasts based mostly in your location. One possibility I exploit is “My Aurora Forecast & Alerts,” obtainable for each iOS and Android. Nonetheless, any related app ought to work effectively. I additionally use the “House Climate Dwell” app, which is obtainable on iOS and Android, to get a deeper understanding of whether or not the present area climate situations are favorable for aurora sightings.
