Just when our planet endured a G3-class geomagnetic storm, the Meteorological Office or the Met Office, has warned about another solar storm that was caught moving towards the Earth. According to the administration, the storm would hit the Earth today on November 4, which coincidentally coincides with the festival of Diwali in India. Effects of the solar storm will most likely be seen in the higher latitude regions, again triggering majestic auroras in the North Pole. 

In a tweet shared on November 3, the Met Office informed, “Another coronal mass ejection (CME) was observed leaving the sun on the 2nd November”.

It further added, “Our forecasters have analysed this and are predicting an arrival at Earth later tonight or early tomorrow, as shown by our Enlil model”.

However, it assured that unlike the previous solar storm, this one will be relatively weak, although there is a 20% chance of the storm taking a stronger form. 

“We are expecting Minor to Moderate (G1-G2) geomagnetic storming, with a 20% chance of strong (G3) storm intervals. Aurora may be visible across Scotland and Northern Ireland, perhaps parts of Northern England and North Wales if these conditions are realised, if skies are clear”, read Met Office’s another tweet.

Despite all these threatening warnings, what stargazers will be most looking forward to are the auroras that will grace the night skies in the polar regions. 

The second solar storm in a week

The warning by the Met Office has ensured that this will be the second solar storm to hit our planet this week. Earlier on October 29, the Space Weather Prediction Center had revealed that the sun unleashed an X1-class flare, which triggered a G3-solar storm along with stunning auroras around the poles and even in regions at lower latitudes. Take a look at the pictures of the previous solar storm’s aftermath shared by some lucky stargazers. 

Image: Twitter/@astro_kimbrough