Severe geomagnetic storm lights up sky (Video)

A solar storm that hit earth yesterday was stronger than expected.

This type of geomagnetic storm can knock out power grids, and affect GPS tracking but so far no damage has been reported from this blast, but it did light up the skies.

This storm ranks 4 on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s 1-to-5 scale for geomagnetic effects.

Thomas Berger, director of the Space Weather Prediction Centre in Boulder, Colorado, said two blasts of magnetic plasma left the sun on Sunday, combined and reached Earth today much earlier and stronger than expected.

The storm, which could last for hours, can disrupt power grids only temporarily. Forecasters said auroras had already been seen in the northern tier of the US and may later be seen as far south as the middle United States.

Agencies/Canadajournal