Steve HermanThis is the first G4 severe level geomagnetic alert issued since 2005 with the coronal mass ejection arrival as early as this evening US time, NOAA's Shawn Dahl tells reporters on a conference call.
Warning also just issued for a solar radiation storm at the S1 level with potential for a stronger event, adds NOAA's Dahl.
Operators of North America power grid should have ample time "to adequately prepare" to help mitigate and control any developing problems, explains NOAA's Dahl. Worse possible situation would be a "Carrington Event" but "we're not anticipating that."
Orientation of the CME in relationship to the magnetic field will determine the severity of the geomagnetic storm, according to NOAA scientists.
Current big sunspot group, 16 times the diameter of Earth, is the "largest seen in some time," according to NOAA.
ferricoxide
Joe 🏔️ King of NYNEX 
Dan Ciruli
Doug 🌈🇨🇦 
@w7voa Don't worry, the Enterprise will use it's shields to deflect the CME.
GayDeceiver@w7voa a Carrington Event? Seriously?
N0LSD@w7voa Awareness of such events is prudent. However, we had a G4 CME hit earth in March, and G4 events are common during solar maximum. Without additional data that might increase the threat level, this is the Sun doing Sun things.
John Maxwell@w7voa guess we'll find out.
@w7voa
A "Carrington Event" would be fun. At least it's not stoopid-hot (here) today. Though, a true "Carrington Event" could but us up into next week's return of summer-like heat.
A "Carrington Event" would be fun. At least it's not stoopid-hot (here) today. Though, a true "Carrington Event" could but us up into next week's return of summer-like heat.
Invincible_Fall in me@w7voa what if it is cloudy?
Darwin Woodkayeah that would be bad
KanaMaunaDidn't have angry sun god on my 2024 bingo card.
Kenneth
Bernard Quatermass@w7voa why they call them "coronal mass ejections" when "sun spurts" was right there.