An ongoing geomagnetic storm warning has been extended until Tuesday after a burst of high-energy particles from the sun reached Earth.
NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) issued a geomagnetic storm warning Monday night through Tuesday, then extended it until Tuesday night.
The warning was triggered by a coronal mass ejection (CME), in which charged particles from the sun reach Earth's atmosphere on Monday night.
CMEs typically take about three days to reach Earth after leaving the Sun.
SWPC rates solar storms on a five-point scale, with five being the most extreme and rare space weather conditions.
A mild, level 1 out of 5, geomagnetic storm is possible on Tuesday.
SWPC said it issued a Level 1 warning because the CME “lacked the necessary magnetic field orientation to rise above G1 levels.”
Small geomagnetic storms are common.
According to NASAnearly 40 CMEs occurred last week, most of which had no space weather impact on Earth.
In Canada and Alaska, small geomagnetic storms can cause vivid displays of aurora borealis (also called aurora borealis).
Current space weather forecasts can also include effects other than auroras, such as weak power grid fluctuations.
Potentially more powerful geomagnetic storms are possible as the Earth heads into the new year.
NOAA and NASA have revealed that the sun has reached its solar maximum, the peak of its 11-year cycle of sunspot activity.
However, space weather experts said they expect the peak of activity to last until 2025.
