A powerful geomagnetic storm is heading toward our planet and is expected to hit it as early as Friday (December 1).
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According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which made the announcement, this space weather event could cause various disruptions.
This geomagnetic storm is the result of a powerful solar flare that occurred on the Sun’s surface at 2:50 p.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday, November 29th.
NOAA
This eruption caused a burst of very hot plasma toward Earth known as a coronal CME mass ejection.
NOAA classifies geomagnetic storms on a scale of G1 to G5, with this one predicted as G3.
Radio wave failures, GPS problems or even consequences for electrical systems could be observed.
NOAA
National power grids typically have protection systems in place, but load shedding has occurred in the past, CNN reports.
In addition, it will also be possible to observe the Northern Lights in regions further south, particularly as far south as southern Pennsylvania, Iowa and Oregon, and therefore easily in Quebec.
This solar event occurs every eleven years and lasts about four months.