A strong Geomagnetic Storm Watch has been issued for Friday as a result of multiple eruptions from the Sun.
This is due to the Sun nearing Solar Maximum in its 11-year cycle, leading to an increase in Space Weather incidents. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) stated that on Sunday, at least three coronal mass ejections (CMEs) occurred, expelling plasma clouds from the Sun towards Earth.
In addition to these CMEs, a fourth CME happened on Wednesday, known as a full halo CME, which caused forecasters to upgrade their G2 watch to a G3-level geomagnetic storm watch for Friday. Full halo CMEs disperse solar material in all directions, resembling a halo, and typically result in geomagnetic storms on Earth.
The SWPC stated that this fourth CME’s speed has been amplified by previous CMEs, which have created a pathway through solar wind. Projected to move faster than its predecessors, it is expected to merge with two of three upstream CMEs and is anticipated to reach Earth overnight on November 30 or December 1.
CMEs generally take between 1 and 3 days to reach Earth’s atmosphere. When multiple solar eruptions occur, one event can supersede another, leading to consecutive solar storms.
