SPOKANE, WA – The National Weather Service has issued a Special Weather Statement to relay updates from the NOAA/Space Weather Prediction Center regarding the ongoing geomagnetic storm. Officials say the center has observed extreme (G5) geomagnetic conditions this afternoon, the first time since October 2003. Severe (G4) conditions are expected to continue through the weekend. The last G4 Watch was issued in 2004.
“A geomagnetic storm of this strength can cause multiple and widespread issues with various power and communications systems. Widespread voltage control problems may occur, and some power grid systems may experience component failures, disruption of service, and protective device trips. This could result in blackouts. GPS and other satellite navigation may be degraded for days. HF/VHF/UHF radio propagation may be impossible in many areas for one to two days,” the NWS says.
“At least five earth-directed coronal mass ejections (CMEs) were observed and expected to arrive as early as midday Friday, May 10, 2024, and persist through Sunday, May 12, 2024. Several strong flares have been observed over the past few days and were associated with a large and magnetically complex sunspot cluster (NOAA region 3664), which is 16 times the diameter of Earth,” the center says on its website.
Low-frequency radio navigation can be out for hours. Aurora may be visible at much lower latitudes.
