(Washington) A level 5 geomagnetic storm on a scale of 5, a level described as “extreme”, was observed on Earth Friday evening, a first since 2003, an American agency announced.
This storm is caused by the arrival on Earth of a series of coronal mass ejections from the Sun, said the American Oceanic and Atmospheric Observation Agency (NOAA).
“GPS, power grids, spacecraft, satellite navigation and other technologies may be affected,” the agency added.
PHOTO VALENTIN GENSCH, ASSOCIATED PRESS
An aurora borealis was visible on Friday near Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany.
The last event reaching this level 5 dates back to October 2003, an episode nicknamed “the Halloween storms,” NOAA wrote. At the time, power outages occurred in Sweden and transformers were damaged in South Africa, she said.
The storm is expected to continue through the weekend, with additional coronal mass ejections arriving, the agency added.
In addition to possible disruptions, these solar storms generate impressive northern lights, sometimes much further south than in the regions where they are usually observable.