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Aurora alert: Rare Borealis display predicted over US due to geomagnetic storm

Aurora alert: Rare Borealis display predicted over US due to geomagnetic storm

India Today8 hours ago

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has predicted increased Northern Lights activity for Thursday night, forecasting a Kp index of 5 out of 9. This means the aurora borealis may intensify and become visible farther south than usual.Based on NOAA's three-day space weather forecast, geomagnetic activity is expected to increase Thursday evening and continue into the early hours of Friday, with minor to moderate geomagnetic storms anticipated.advertisementWEEKEND AURORA VISIBILITY LIKELY TO DECLINEWhile auroral activity peaks Thursday night, NOAA expects space weather to calm by Friday and Saturday. The Kp index will dip slightly, just above 3 on Friday then drop to 2 on Saturday, reducing the likelihood of widespread aurora sightings over the weekend.WHERE TO SEE THE LIGHTS?
According to Forbes, a "view line" passes through several northern US states. Areas with a chance to see the aurora include parts of northern Washington, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Upper Michigan. Northern parts of New York, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine may also experience faint activity under perfect conditions.HOW TO MAXIMISE YOUR VIEWING EXPERIENCE To boost your chances of seeing the aurora, NOAA recommends heading to high-altitude northern locations with minimal light pollution.The best viewing window is between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. local time, under clear skies.advertisementTips for Capturing the Aurora on CameraPhotographers advise using a wide-angle lens with aperture f/4 or lower. The ISO and shutter speeds need to be adjusted according to the aurora's brightness.Smartphone users should enable night mode, use a tripod, and turn off the flash to enhance image clarity.

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Aurora alert: Rare Borealis display predicted over US due to geomagnetic storm
Aurora alert: Rare Borealis display predicted over US due to geomagnetic storm

India Today

time8 hours ago

  • India Today

Aurora alert: Rare Borealis display predicted over US due to geomagnetic storm

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has predicted increased Northern Lights activity for Thursday night, forecasting a Kp index of 5 out of 9. This means the aurora borealis may intensify and become visible farther south than on NOAA's three-day space weather forecast, geomagnetic activity is expected to increase Thursday evening and continue into the early hours of Friday, with minor to moderate geomagnetic storms AURORA VISIBILITY LIKELY TO DECLINEWhile auroral activity peaks Thursday night, NOAA expects space weather to calm by Friday and Saturday. The Kp index will dip slightly, just above 3 on Friday then drop to 2 on Saturday, reducing the likelihood of widespread aurora sightings over the TO SEE THE LIGHTS? According to Forbes, a "view line" passes through several northern US states. Areas with a chance to see the aurora include parts of northern Washington, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Upper Michigan. Northern parts of New York, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine may also experience faint activity under perfect TO MAXIMISE YOUR VIEWING EXPERIENCE To boost your chances of seeing the aurora, NOAA recommends heading to high-altitude northern locations with minimal light best viewing window is between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. local time, under clear for Capturing the Aurora on CameraPhotographers advise using a wide-angle lens with aperture f/4 or lower. The ISO and shutter speeds need to be adjusted according to the aurora's users should enable night mode, use a tripod, and turn off the flash to enhance image clarity.

Weather today: Severe storms threaten central US as Erick to intensify into major hurricane
Weather today: Severe storms threaten central US as Erick to intensify into major hurricane

Hindustan Times

time2 days ago

  • Hindustan Times

Weather today: Severe storms threaten central US as Erick to intensify into major hurricane

More than 98 million people, including those in St. Louis, Indianapolis and Detroit, face a severe weather threat on Wednesday, June 18. Severe storms are expected in parts of the Midwest, Ohio Valley and Great Lakes region in the US on Wednesday, Fox News reported. According to the NOAA's Storm Prediction Center, a Level 3 out of 5 risk of severe thunderstorms remains in place for the Indianapolis metro area, while St. Louis and Detroit are in the Level 2 out of 5 risk. This comes after severe storms rocked several areas in the central Plains on Tuesday, with winds recorded over 100 mph and hail. On Wednesday, thunderstorms are predicted to develop in the afternoon, with damaging wind gusts and isolated hail. Also, there are possibilities of tornadoes covering the northern Indiana and southern Michigan area. The National Hurricane Center has issued a warning that tropical storm Erick strengthened in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, roughly 180 miles south-southeast of Mexico's Puerto Angel. It is now expected to intensify into a hurricane by late Wednesday or early Thursday. Erick is the fifth named storm in the Eastern Pacific hurricane season this year. It is predicted to be the first named storm in the Atlantic or Eastern Pacific basins to make landfall. Earlier, the Mexican government issued a hurricane warning, covering regions from Puerto Angel to Acapulco. Besides this, tropical weather alerts were issued for the south and north regions of the expected landfall area. Also read: Extreme heat grips US Southwest, health experts recommend ditching caffeine and alcohol Heat advisories have been issued for several regions in Utah, Colorado, New Mexico and eastern Arizona due to low humidity, strong winds and rising temperatures in these areas. On Wednesday, temperature could reach as high as 110 degree Fahrenheit and more in places like Las Vegas and Phoenix. It is because of the summer season that starts to settle in the Southwest. The high temperatures will later shift east into the Plains, mid-Atlantic and Northeast regions by Friday, ahead of the astronomical summer. Hurricane Erick will soon form in the Eastern Pacific, potentially bringing flooding to Mexico's coastal regions. The severe thunderstorm risks are for the Midwest and lower Great Lakes for the day. High temperatures are expected across parts of the Desert Southwest into western Texas and north Alaska, the National Weather Service states.

Powerful solar flare causes radio blackouts in the Americas: How solar flares impact Earth
Powerful solar flare causes radio blackouts in the Americas: How solar flares impact Earth

Time of India

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  • Time of India

Powerful solar flare causes radio blackouts in the Americas: How solar flares impact Earth

On June 15, an intense solar flare erupted from sunspot region AR 4114, reaching an M8.46 level at around 2:25 p.m. EDT (18:25 GMT). This makes it one of the most powerful solar flares observed recently, only just below the top-tier X-class category. Radio signals dropped within minutes The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is a U.S. federal agency under the Department of Commerce that focuses on science, service, and stewardship. It helps monitor and predict changes in the Earth's environment, supports informed decision-making, and manages ocean and coastal resources across the country. It explains that radiation from solar flares travels at the speed of light, reaching Earth in about eight minutes. This radiation raises ionization levels in the ionosphere, particularly the dense D-layer, which can absorb or scatter shortwave (3–30 MHz) radio waves, causing temporary blackouts. The Americas took the brunt of the impact According to Space(dot)com and Newsweek, the flare struck while the Americas were in daylight, putting North and South America directly in the path of its effects. This alignment produced noticeable shortwave radio disruptions across the region. NOAA raises the alert to R2 NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center classified the event as an R2– Moderate radio blackout, signaling interruptions in high-frequency communication tools used for aviation, maritime, emergency response, and amateur radio. Who felt the effects? HF radio users, especially pilots, ships, and emergency services, could experience dropped signals or reduced range. Even occasional loss of communication can complicate these critical systems. The Sun is still active According to a Space(dot)com report, the same sunspot region produced another flare on June 16 (M6.4 at 5:30 a.m. EDT) and has remained Earth-facing, prompting warnings of more flares or coronal mass ejections (CMEs) in the coming days. Possible ripple effects beyond radio GPS systems: Disturbances in the ionosphere can reduce positioning accuracy. Satellites: Heating in the upper atmosphere causes expansion, increasing drag on satellites. Power grids: Strong geomagnetic storms– often tied to CMEs– have historically led to disruptions, such as Quebec's blackout in 1989, and scientists note up to 4% of grid issues may stem from solar activity. A chance for auroras As per reports, models show a CME from this flare may graze Earth around June 18, possibly triggering a G1-level geomagnetic storm. This could result in auroras visible in northern US states like Michigan or Maine. Why this matters Though the flare's impact was brief, it's a powerful reminder that our daily communication technologies– air travel, marine navigation, emergency services, satellite clocks– are all vulnerable to space weather. Monitoring these solar events helps safeguard essential systems.

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