WARNING: SOLAR FLARE HEADED FOR EARTH

[SuperiorDG]

---

WASHINGTON (AP) -- An extreme solar flare is blasting its way to Earth and could mess up some power grids, satellites and radio transmissions, scientists say.

It's been several years since Earth has had a solar storm of this size coming from sunspots smack in the middle of the sun, said Tom Berger, director of the Space Weather Prediction Center in Boulder, Colorado.
Solar storms happen often, especially during peaks in the solar cycle, and don't directly harm people. But what makes this one more worrisome is its location on the sun along with its strength, he said.
"There's been a giant magnetic explosion on the sun," Berger said. "Because it's pointed right at us, we'll at least catch some of the cloud" of highly energized and magnetized plasma that can disrupt Earth's magnetic sphere, which sometimes leads to temporary power grid problems.
Forecasters don't yet know when Wednesday's solar storm will arrive here and which part of the planet will be facing the sun and bear the brunt of the effects. It could arrive as early as Thursday morning or may take a few days.
Berger said scientists will have a better idea after they get more satellite data. The first part of the storm, which arrives in only a few minutes, has already affected radio transmissions. It can also damage satellites.
The flare is considered "extreme" on forecasters' scale, but just barely so, Berger said.

On the plus side, sun flares expand the colorful northern lights so people farther south can see them..



http://www.redflagnews.com/headlines...o-this-weekend
http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/index.html

[mcjhr]

I hope I gain some super powers!

[vossman]

More gloom and doom.

[SuperiorDG]

Costco run?

[HoneyBadger]

Meh. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories...09-10-17-56-39


My job involves maintaining the health of satellites and I haven't heard anything worth worrying about from this one.

[GilpinGuy]

Here's another story about it.

And here's the most important part:
So while the power grid may see fluctuations because the storm will cause changes in Earth's magnetic field, it won't knock power systems off line, Berger said. It may cause slight disturbances in satellites and radio transmissions but nothing major.

"We're not scared of this one," Berger said.

[HoneyBadger]

Meh. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories...09-10-17-56-39


My job involves maintaining the health of satellites and I haven't heard anything worth worrying about from this one.

Here's another story about it.

And here's the most important part:
So while the power grid may see fluctuations because the storm will cause changes in Earth's magnetic field, it won't knock power systems off line, Berger said. It may cause slight disturbances in satellites and radio transmissions but nothing major.

"We're not scared of this one," Berger said.

See the post right above yours?

[Great-Kazoo]

See the post right above yours?

This is turning in to another magpul ammo thread

[SuperiorDG]

This is turning in to another magpul ammo thread

We may need a ammo supplier within walking distance.

[roberth]

We may need a ammo supplier within walking distance.

Reload, then all you have to do is walk downstairs.