Powerful X1.6-class Solar Flare

a reply to: FlyersFan
Wishing you luck your wish will be granted

originally posted by: Teye22
Is there a possibility that these events do damage to electronics?

Just checking if I should be unplugging stuff when I get home!!

Great find, my eyes will be to the skies tonight and tomorrow night!

Damage is caused by power surges. If you don't have your things plugged into to a surge protector, any power outage can cause damage. Unless somebody wishes to correct me on this?

Power outages may be sporadic. This will most likely NOT cause widespread outages.

I'm on power outage watch anyways because it's windy here still. I lost power last night.

This is now being reported in the main stream news:

(CNN) -- This is not your usual weather forecast. Big storms are brewing. Your umbrella won't help, but you might want to keep a flashlight handy.

These storms are coming from the sun. It's raining down a huge amount of radiation. We're safe, but it could affect power grids, radios and satellites.

Experts say the combined energy from two recent solar events will arrive at Earth on September 13, prompting the Space Weather Prediction Center to issue a strong Geomagnetic Storm Watch.

CNN

It has been several years since Earth has had a solar storm of this size coming from sunspots smack in the middle of the sun, said Tom Berger, director of the Space Weather Prediction Center in Boulder, Colorado. The flare on the sun barely hits the "extreme" on forecasters' scale, but with its worst effects missing Earth it is only looking "potentially strong" at most when it arrives at Earth as a solar storm, he said.

New calculations from satellite data show that the worst of the energetic particles streaming from the sun likely will go north or above Earth this time, Berger said late Wednesday.

So while the power grid may see fluctuations because the storm will cause changes in Earth's magnetic field, it won't knock power systems off line, Berger said. It may cause slight disturbances in satellites and radio transmissions but nothing major.

foxnews

a reply to: LDragonFire

A quote from that CNN story on it:

Space weather experts aren't sure yet what this solar storm will do.

"This is a pretty strong solar storm and we just won't know until it gets here" what it will do, said CNN Meteorologist Chad Meyers.

Earth's atmosphere usually protects us humans, but you might want to keep a flashlight handy. Solar storms can knock out power, interfere with GPS and radio communications -- including those on commercial airliners -- and they can damage satellites.

Doom porn meter going up...
Flashlight level at least..

lol

For aurora ( northern lights)watching:
According to the NOAA, aurora watchers in the northern US should start looking for activity on Thursday and Friday night. They might get a pretty spectacular show, especially if all the lights suddenly go out.

a reply to: Darkblade71

I noticed that CNN was more like be prepared with there flashlight comment, and Fox was like there is nothing to see move along.

I'm curious about the effects of multiple CME's hitting at roughly the same time, but if this sunspot can produce a weak x flare I wonder what else its gonna throw our way, or are we in for a increase of x flares in the near future. The Sun has been quiet for a while now, but that seems to have changed.

a reply to: LDragonFire

There is an increased chance for m or x class flares with this sunspot, we had an m class today.
I lost the page this info was on, or I might have posted it in an update today


ETA just a suggestion
We should also look at space weather from other countries. The US. NOAA isn't the only one!




from
Space Weather Canada


Space Weather UK

A second CME was observed on 10th September, associated with a more powerful X1-class flare from near the centre of the Sun. This CME is expected to arrive during 12th September, possibly only shortly after the first CME. Due to the combined effects of both CMEs there is a good chance of stormy geomagnetic conditions throughout the next few nights. Assuming clear dark skies, there is an increased chance of seeing the aurora, particularly in northern parts of the UK, after the arrival of the CMEs. The best chance will be Friday night with a possibility of further aurorae on Saturday.

a reply to: LDragonFire

I took this from my solar monitor app, same space weather prediction sources we are using on here, just couldn't find the page it was on

a reply to: violet

It's just rainy as all get-out here in South Carolina. Does rain protect from, or conduct, the solar storm particles? Anybody know?

a reply to: new_here I have been wondering the same here in tx today. It seems likely that clouds and water could dampen the effects but others know lots more than i do about it.

Angry Sun!!

2014-09-11 05:01 UTC A Pair of CMEs G2 (Moderate) geomagnetic storms remain in the forecast for September 12th as a result of the coronal mass ejection (CME) associated with the R1 (Minor) solar flare observed on the 9th. The latest WSA-Enlil model run has the CME associated with yesterday's R3 (Strong) solar flare arriving mid to late day on that same day. A G3 (Strong) Geomagnetic Storm Watch has been issued for September 13th due to the combined influence of these two events with G1 (Minor) storming anticipated to continue into September 14th. In addition, the S1 (Minor) solar radiation storm that is in progress as a result of the eruption yesterday is expected to persist for the next few days. Keep in mind that the forecast periods listed are in Universal Time so aurora watchers in the northern U.S. should be looking for possible activity both Thursday and Friday nights. Stay tuned for updates.

NOAA

Who knows what a Geomagnetic Sudden Impulse Warning is?
It just got added to the space weather prediction Center page


Space Weather Message Code: WARSUD
Serial Number: 155
Issue Time: 2014 Sep 11 2307 UTC

WARNING: Geomagnetic Sudden Impulse expected
Valid From: 2014 Sep 11 2330 UTC
Valid To: 2014 Sep 12 0030 UTC
IP Shock Passage Observed: 2014 Sep 11 2258 UTC



Happening right about now according to the time in UTC or GMT

in WV, nothing happening here,, i even stocked up on water just in case.. now i herd only herd ok,, that i would hit here in WV, by 7pm.. its been cloudy all day hear, and whats funny is on radar i havent seen anything. so God is watching over me and others... I really wanted to see the northern lights tonight since there going to be so low.. dont know if I will be able to.. but gratefull for the protection big time, even knowing this might not be over..

Cant tell you if its the first wave or 2nd wave that was maybe suppose to be here by 7pm on the east side of the U.S. but its been cloudy all day power is just fine...even though at 7:43 it looks like it might be wanting to clear up.. we will see...

If the sun were the size of a basketball, the Earth would be about the size of a small pea 98 feet away. I am struggling to see how, on this scale, a Bunsen burner sized jet of flame could even do anything other then disrupt electronics. Much of it's energy will also disperse like a load from a sawed off shotgun.... would it not?

The flare looks like a HEART. I say let the Father's nature heart come.
There is a geomagnetic storm when the particles' current is opposite to field lines and the east directed electricity flow is strong enough to generate enough magnetism and push the field lines. At least as I understand it at this moment. We have this weakening geomagnetic shield so even an M-flare is enough to be felt as an X-flare a decade ago.

The world's progress direction is pretty undivine lately so let the good power come and don't let evil forces to misuse it as usually.

Latest text from my Space Weather Alert App, about 4 minutes ago:

"The first of two CMEs expected to hit Earth's magnetic field on Sept. 10-11 has arrived. Be alert for auroras."

STM

a reply to: seentoomuch

We're all gonna dieeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!



lol

It's frikking cloudy here this evening!

I hope the clouds clear out by tomorrow night!

a reply to: Darkblade71

Lol, quick, throw your phone into the microwave!!!

Just joking, I think this first wave is pretty light, right?

STM

Source: spaceweather.com...

CME IMPACT, BE ALERT FOR AURORAS: The first of two CMEs expected to hit Earth's magnetic field on Sept. 12th has arrived. Solar wind conditions are favorable for geomagnetic activity and possibly full-fledged geomagnetic storming in the hours ahead. High-latitude sky watchers, be alert for auroras and submit your images!

STM

Source: spaceweather.com...

2nd wave, X1.6 Flare Update:

Updated: Radio emissions from shock waves at the leading edge of the CME indicate that the cloud tore through the sun's atmosphere at speeds as high as 3,750 km/s. By the time it left the sun's atmosphere, however, the cloud had decellerated to 1,400 km/s. This makes it a fairly typical CME instead of a "super CME" as the higher speed might suggest.

Even with a downgrade in speed, this CME has the potential to trigger significant geomagnetic activity when it reaches Earth's magnetic field during the mid-to-late hours of Sept. 12th. NOAA forecasters estimate an almost-80% chance of polar geomagnetic storms on Sept. 12-13.

STM