A strong magnetic storm of level G3 is expected

The onset of a strong and prolonged magnetic storm of category G3 is expected this evening Moscow time as a result of the arrival of several (two or three) plasma clouds, ejected yesterday by the Sun in the direction of the Earth as a result of a series of strong flares, towards the Earth. Despite the fact that the initial solar explosions were separated in time by approximately 10 hours (the first occurred at 01:36, and the last at 11:28 UTC), the storm will be continuous, since, according to calculations, later ejections of solar matter on their way to the Earth should catch up with the previously ejected plasma clouds and form a single structure approximately 200 million kilometers in size. With such a size and direction of movement of the ejected gas cloud, the possibility of avoiding an encounter with it is practically impossible (mathematical models consider this probability equal to zero), but in practice such cases have occurred. Unfounded optimism is possible. For the realists, we note that storms of the G3 level are classified as strong, but not record-breaking. This year, a similar storm occurred on March 21st. A magnetic storm of even higher magnitude, G4, was observed from January 19th to 21st. The expected event could therefore be the second or third most powerful this year. A storm of the highest magnitude, G4, was last observed two years ago, in May 2024. It was the strongest in 20 years.

The likelihood of auroras during events of this magnitude is exceptionally high, but they will almost certainly not be visible from the Northern Hemisphere, where summer arrived four days ago. The main photographs and videos are expected from the Southern Hemisphere—Australia, South America, and Antarctic polar stations.