Powerful Solar Storm to Hit Earth Before New Year's Eve

[Fansome]

http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/powerful-solar-storm-hit-earth-years-eve/story?id=36010574

Powerful Solar Storm to Hit Earth Before New Year's Eve

    By Alyssa Newcomb

Dec 30, 2015, 12:05 PM ET

Here's one way to end the year on a bright note.

A powerful solar storm set to slam Earth today will make for stunning views of the Northern Lights just before New Year's Eve. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Space Weather Prediction Center said the "strong" storm could allow the Northern Lights to dip as far south as Oregon and Illinois.

NOAA classifies solar storms on a scale of one to five (one being the weakest; five being the most severe). Today's storm is forecast to be a G3 event, meaning it could have the strength to cause fluctuations in some power grids, intermittent radio blackouts in higher latitudes and possible GPS issues.

The storm is the result of a coronal mass ejection -- basically a flare of charged protons and electrons -- that burst from the sun earlier this week. Once they reach Earth, the particles interact with the planet's magnetic field to paint the sky in dazzling colors.

NOAA predicts the effects of today's storm could linger into New Year's Eve.

[Pigmeat]

Are you on the roof yet, Al? Keep a sharp lookout for the Lesser Gulf Coast Gliding Penguin. They don't like feral monkeys in their territory.

[ka1iic]

Solar storm!!!!!!

All hail Bob!!!!!

Prepare for X-day!!!!

We are all doomed!!!

So when does it start?  Need to get my lounge chair out on the lawn to watch the show...

Hmmmm... hey!  I've been cheated...  it's 12/31 2140 UTC and I can still hear WWV on 15000 KHZ...   So where's the storm matey!!! arrrrgggghhhh!

[jFarley]

So when does it start?

Reports have it that the LF band went kaput around 0800z last night

[SHORTY]

Nothing here! I even took my foil hat off to try!

[Chanter]

10 and 19 have both been kaput all day, 10 being worse.  Now 31 is fizzling out; CRI's pair of outlets on 9580 and 9570 are fair in some very loud, nasty static, and not much else is readable.  I haven't dared try 25, 41 or 49, the first because I'm guessing I'll get headphones full of zilch, the latter two for fear of having my ears blown off by the noise! 

There went my DXing plans for tonight...