Severe Geomagnetic storm underway could impact hurricane recovery response across Southeast
The solar storm is forecast to continue into Friday with potential extreme (G5) conditions. Space weather will make Northern lights visible as far south as Alabama if the weather conditions are favorable, however, the Geomagnetic storm can also impact GPS and communication services needed for the ongoing response to Hurricane Milton and Hurricane Helene, warns NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center.
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An ongoing severe geomagnetic storm could hinder recovery response to Hurricanes Milton and Helene across Florida and the Southeast as well as create displays of Northern lights as far south as Alabama on Thursday night.
NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) issued a Geomagnetic Storm Alert on Thursday after severe geomagnetic storming was observed.
The SWPC rates solar storms on a five-level scale, with five being the most extreme and rarest space weather conditions.The SWPC said extreme (G5) levels are possible.
The solar storm is forecast to continue through Friday after impacts from a coronal mass ejection began arriving to Earth on Thursday.
The SWPC has been in contact with FEMA and state agencies involved in disaster recovery efforts because these storms could impact ongoing work across the Southeast from Hurricanes Milton and Helene. Geomagnetic storms and radiation from the Sun can affect the power grid, as well as GPS and radio blackouts and impacts on satellites.
"This storm could impact ongoing recovery efforts for Hurricanes Helene and Milton in several critical ways," the SPWC said.
The SWPC warned that systems that depend on low-Earth orbit satellites for high-frequency communication may experience disruptions. Internet and cell service have been an issue in North Carolina after Hurricane Helene's flooding, and some have relied on SpaceX's Starlink internet to stay connected.
The geomagnetic storm could also put additional stress on power grids weakened by the back-to-back hurricanes. More than 3 million people across Florida are without power after Hurricane Milton's landfall on Wednesday night in Siesta Key.
GPS navigation services used for disaster relief response may be degraded because of the ongoing solar storm.
How far south will the Northern lights be visible?
While impacts to the power and communication grid won't help, many are excited about the chance to see the Northern lights, which are created by charged particles from the Sun as they interact with Earth's atmosphere.
A view of the Northern lights from the New York National Weather Service Office taken on Oct. 10, 2024 during a severe (G4) geomagnetic storm.
On Thursday, those with clear skies began seeing the Northern lights as severe geomagnetic storming continued during the night hours, including at the New York National Weather Service Office. Reports of lights in Virginia and Pennsylvania began to increase after 8 p.m. ET.
If conditions are good, the lights could be visible to the naked eye in the Southeastern U.S. overnight Thursday.
Aurora lights seen from Burlington, North Carolina during a severe geomagnetic storm on Oct. 10, 2024. (Elizabeth Tate)
With the help of a smartphone camera, the lights were visible in North Carolina on Thursday.
About eight hours ahead of the U.S., spectacular Aurora borealis sightings were reported across Europe on Thursday.
Thursday night aurora lights forecast.
This geomagnetic storm could be the strongest since Earth experienced near-global auroras in May, even as far south as Florida when an "extreme" (G5) geomagnetic storm occurred because of two groups of extremely active sunspots.
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Scientists use the Kp-index to characterize the magnitude of geomagnetic storms, and the SWPC uses it to decide whether it issues geomagnetic storm alerts.
The graphic below updates every 30 minutes with the possibility of viewing auroras in North America.
The greatest Kp-index levels are forecast to happen Thursday night, reaching 8 out of 9 on the geomagnetic storm scale. Already on Thursday evening, the KP value hit 8.33. According to the SWPC, KP levels could range between 5 and 8 through Friday.