Powerful space storm hits Earth

NEW YORK (MYFOXNY) - 

NOAA

A geomagnetic storm that government scientists rate as severe hit the planet on Tuesday morning.
The storm rated as a G4 on a NOAA scale, which tops out at G5. It's the strongest storm that's happened in the current solar cycle, which lasts about 11 years.
The Space Weather Prediction Center says that the storm is from sun activity that started on March 15. Two magnetic eruptions occurred in quick succession. They combined into one larger eruption before intersecting the Earth's orbit on Tuesday.
The storm arrived earlier (10 a.m. EDT) and was stronger than predicted. The storm could last 24-36 hours.
It warned that there could be possible widespread voltage control problems at power systems and some protective systems could trip out key assets from the grid but that appeared to not be happening.
"We are receiving no reports of abnormality or disconnects on the power grid," NOAA's Tom Burger said at a Tuesday afternoon press briefing.
Spacecraft could also experience surface charging and tracking problems and corrections may be needed for orientation problems.
It warned that satellite navigation systems could be affected for hours and low-frequency radio navigation disrupted.
It also said that the aurora could be seen as far south as California because of the storm. Images on Twitter showed it was visible in the pre-dawn hours in Washington state.
There were other reports of the aurora being seen in Minnesota, North and South Dakota, and Alaska.
Widespread areas of Northern Europe were expected to see the aurora later Tuesday.
NOAA scientists say that depending on how long it lasts and how intense the storm continued to be, states as far south as from Alabama to northern California on Tuesday night.
A less severe storm hit Earth on January 7. That storm was classified as a G3. NOAA said that it has been about a decade since a G5 storm hit the planet.