Space Weather Events of May 10, 2024
- May 10, 2024, 21:00 Eastern time
A severe magnetic storm commenced on May 10, 2024 at 12:06 Eastern Time. The storm is ongoing, but it appears to have attained a maximum level of disturbance at 17:24 Eastern Time. According to the NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center geomagnetic disturbance index, which classifies storms on a scale from G1 (minor) to G5 (extreme), the ground-level storm-time geomagnetic disturbance for this storm has been classified as G5 (extreme).
Storms of this intensity can interfere with electric-power-transmission systems. Based on USGS geoelectric hazard analyses of the Continental United States (CONUS) (Love et al. 2022; Lucas et al, 2022), grid interference is most likely to be concentrated in the eastern U.S. and upper Midwest. More generally, storms of such intensity interfere with aeromagnetic surveys, directional drilling for oil and gas, satellite operations, GPS positioning and timing signals, and over-the-horizon radio communication.
Aurorae are likely to be seen in many night-time CONUS skies tonight.
The last G5 storm occurred on October 31, 2003. That storm caused blackouts in Sweden and South Africa. Since we are presently in the ascending phase of the solar cycle, there is an elevated change of another such storm occurring in the next year or two.
The storm is being monitored at USGS magnetometer stations. At the College, Alaska station, geomagnetic declination has varied by about 15 degrees, enough to be easily seen on a compass. A conventional measure of magnetic-storm strength is the (low-latitude) disturbance index known as Dst. This index measures disturbance relative to quiet, non-stormy conditions. So far, the USGS version of the Dst index has attained a maximum (negative) value of -351 nT, and the Kyoto Dst index has attained a value of -351 nT. For comparison, the great storm of March 1989, which caused widespread interference to technological systems around the world, including power systems in the U.S. and a power blackout in Québec, attained a Dst value of -589 nT. The Carrington superstorm of September 1859, which caused widespread interference to telegraph systems, attained a Dst value of about -900 nT.
The USGS Geomagnetism Program operates 14 magnetic observatories across the U.S. and territories; the Program collaborates with the Albuquerque Seismological Laboratory in the operation of 11 variometers across CONUS; and it supports magnetotelluric surveys. The Geomagnetism Program disseminates magnetic data in real-time to governmental (both civilian and military), academic, and private institutions. Program scientists conduct research into the nature of geomagnetic variations for purposes of scientific understanding and hazard mitigation.
Updates will be provided as necessary.
-Jeffrey J. Love and Gavin Hayes
For press inquiries, please contact Jeffrey J. Love (jlove@usgs.gov).
General inquiries about the Geomagnetism Program should be directed to Kristen A. Lewis (klewis@usgs.gov).
Space Weather Events of May 10, 2024
- May 10, 2024, 21:00 Eastern time
A severe magnetic storm commenced on May 10, 2024 at 12:06 Eastern Time. The storm is ongoing, but it appears to have attained a maximum level of disturbance at 17:24 Eastern Time. According to the NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center geomagnetic disturbance index, which classifies storms on a scale from G1 (minor) to G5 (extreme), the ground-level storm-time geomagnetic disturbance for this storm has been classified as G5 (extreme).
Storms of this intensity can interfere with electric-power-transmission systems. Based on USGS geoelectric hazard analyses of the Continental United States (CONUS) (Love et al. 2022; Lucas et al, 2022), grid interference is most likely to be concentrated in the eastern U.S. and upper Midwest. More generally, storms of such intensity interfere with aeromagnetic surveys, directional drilling for oil and gas, satellite operations, GPS positioning and timing signals, and over-the-horizon radio communication.
Aurorae are likely to be seen in many night-time CONUS skies tonight.
The last G5 storm occurred on October 31, 2003. That storm caused blackouts in Sweden and South Africa. Since we are presently in the ascending phase of the solar cycle, there is an elevated change of another such storm occurring in the next year or two.
The storm is being monitored at USGS magnetometer stations. At the College, Alaska station, geomagnetic declination has varied by about 15 degrees, enough to be easily seen on a compass. A conventional measure of magnetic-storm strength is the (low-latitude) disturbance index known as Dst. This index measures disturbance relative to quiet, non-stormy conditions. So far, the USGS version of the Dst index has attained a maximum (negative) value of -351 nT, and the Kyoto Dst index has attained a value of -351 nT. For comparison, the great storm of March 1989, which caused widespread interference to technological systems around the world, including power systems in the U.S. and a power blackout in Québec, attained a Dst value of -589 nT. The Carrington superstorm of September 1859, which caused widespread interference to telegraph systems, attained a Dst value of about -900 nT.
The USGS Geomagnetism Program operates 14 magnetic observatories across the U.S. and territories; the Program collaborates with the Albuquerque Seismological Laboratory in the operation of 11 variometers across CONUS; and it supports magnetotelluric surveys. The Geomagnetism Program disseminates magnetic data in real-time to governmental (both civilian and military), academic, and private institutions. Program scientists conduct research into the nature of geomagnetic variations for purposes of scientific understanding and hazard mitigation.
Updates will be provided as necessary.
-Jeffrey J. Love and Gavin Hayes
For press inquiries, please contact Jeffrey J. Love (jlove@usgs.gov).
General inquiries about the Geomagnetism Program should be directed to Kristen A. Lewis (klewis@usgs.gov).