5 Things You Need To Know About The Geomagnetic Storm Hitting Earth Tonight
- **What’s Happening:** A powerful geomagnetic storm, triggered by a massive coronal mass ejection from the Sun, is expected to reach Earth tonight, potentially disrupting satellite communications and power grids across the northern hemisphere.
- **When to Look Up:** Skywatchers should head outside after midnight, as the storm could produce stunning auroras visible as far south as Alabama and Northern California, far beyond the usual Arctic zones.
- **Tech Alerts:** Experts warn that GPS signals, high-frequency radio, and even some electrical transformers may experience fluctuations or outages, so charge your devices and have backup plans for navigation.
- **Health & Safety:** While the storm poses no direct radiation danger to humans on the ground, those in high-altitude flights or on the ISS could face slightly elevated risks; astronauts are already on alert.
- **How Long It Lasts:** Forecasters predict peak activity within the next 12 hours, with lingering effects through the weekend, but the aurora show may be the most vivid we’ve seen since 2024’s historic solar maximum events.