5 things you need to know about the geomagnetic storm hitting Earth right now
- Expect stunning Northern Lights displays as far south as Alabama and California tonight, triggered by a powerful solar eruption on the sun's surface.
- This storm is classified as a G4 (severe) on the NOAA space weather scale, the strongest level seen since 2003.
- Power grid operators in northern states and Canada have been put on alert for possible voltage fluctuations and transformer damage.
- High-frequency radio and GPS navigation signals are experiencing significant blackouts, especially over polar regions and during sunrise.
- The storm is expected to peak within the next 6 to 12 hours, with potential impacts persisting through the weekend as more solar flares are tracked.