A strong solar storm hitting Earth over the weekend led to stunning displays of northern lights across the Northern Hemisphere, including in the UK. The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration issued a severe geomagnetic storm warning as the solar outburst arrived earlier than expected on Friday. There were no immediate reports of power or communication disruptions.
The northern lights were visible in the UK and as far south as London and southern England, with photos and reports coming in from across Europe. The Met Office meteorologist Chris Snell noted that the effects of the solar storm were expected to last throughout the weekend and possibly into the following week.
NOAA alerted operators of power plants and spacecraft, as well as the Federal Emergency Management Agency, to take precautions. The storm could produce northern lights as far south as Alabama and northern California, although experts noted that the displays may not be as dramatic as the curtains of color typically associated with the aurora borealis.
While the solar storm poses a risk to high-voltage transmission lines for power grids and satellites, it is not expected to affect electrical lines in homes. NOAA space weather forecaster Shawn Dahl mentioned that while the storm may not reach the intensity of the 1859 solar storm, which led to auroras in Central America and Hawaii, it could come close. Experts recommended using phone cameras to capture the best views of the auroras.
Source
Photo credit www.aljazeera.com