WASHINGTON—Forecasters have predicted that solar storms from the weekend may result in faint colorful auroras appearing across the Northern Hemisphere. Despite concerns about potential disruptions to power and communications, experts believe that any impact will be minimal.
Recent solar activity has led to the release of five strong solar flares since Saturday, which contain clouds of high-energy plasma that can potentially interfere with power grids and disrupt GPS signals. However, according to NOAA spokesperson Erica Grow Cei, there have been no major communication issues reported thus far.
While the solar storms in May produced remarkable aurora displays, the current event is expected to be shorter in duration. Nevertheless, there is a possibility of faint auroras being visible as far south as Alabama and Northern California on Monday night.
Experts attribute the increase in solar activity to the sun’s magnetic field reaching the peak of its 11-year cycle. This has made storms and aurora displays more frequent occurrences.
By Adithi Ramakrishnan
