[NEWS] M2-class Solar Flare July 16th.

[Spoetnik]

http://www.spaceweather.com/

GEOMAGNETIC STORM WATCH: NOAA forecasters have analyzed this morning's solar flare and CME and they have issued a geomagnetic storm watch for July 16th and 17th. Storms could reach category G2 (moderately strong) on both days. High latitude sky watchers can expect midnight auroras on Sunday and Monday. Free: Aurora Alerts

STRONG SOLAR FLARE AND CME: After days of suspenseful quiet, huge sunspot AR2665 finally erupted on July 14th (0209 UT), producing a powerful and long-lasting M2-class solar flare. Extreme ultraviolet telescopes onboard NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory recorded the blast:

Remarkably, the explosion persisted for more than two hours, producing a sustained fusillade of X-rays and energetic protons that ionized the upper layers of Earth's atmosphere. Shortwave radio blackouts were subsequently observed over the Pacific Ocean and especially around the Arctic Circle. This map from NOAA shows the affected geographic regions.

Of even greater interest is the coronal mass ejection (CME). The explosion hurled a bright CME away from the blast site, and it appears to be heading for Earth:

You have been warned.

[Spoetnik]

An update..

ALMOST-CERTAIN GEOMAGNETIC STORMS: NOAA forecasters say there is a 75% chance of geomagnetic storms on July 16th when a CME is expected to hit Earth's magnetic field. Moderately strong G2-class storms on July 16th could intensify to strong G3-class storms on July 17th as Earth passes through the CME's magnetized wake. High latitude sky watchers should be alert for auroras in the nights ahead.

DOOM!