### Severe Solar Storm Headed for Earth
A severe solar storm is expected to impact Earth on Thursday, October 10, and Friday, October 11. The storm is caused by a powerful coronal mass ejection (CME) that erupted from the sun on Tuesday, October 8. This CME is traveling at speeds between 2.7 million and 2.9 million miles per hour and is likely to reach Earth’s magnetic field by Thursday morning.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has issued a G4 (Severe) geomagnetic storm watch, indicating potential detrimental impacts to critical technology and possible widespread voltage control problems. The storm could make the northern lights visible in the U.S. farther south than usual, potentially extending as far south as Alabama and Northern California.
The charged particles from the solar flare are expected to interact with Earth’s magnetic field, causing significant disturbances and potentially disrupting navigation systems, GPS signals, and electric power networks. While the storm is not expected to be as severe as the one in May, it could still cause notable effects, including visible auroras in the Northern Hemisphere down to the central United States.
