Major solar storm hits Earth, causing radio blackouts

A solar flare slammed into the Pacific Ocean on Monday, causing radio blackouts, while a second is set to hit the Earth on Tuesday.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration issued a geomagnetic storm watch on Monday, monitoring two large solar flares ejecting from the sun. Both left the sun on Sunday, the first hitting over the Pacific on Monday, while the second is projected to make contact on Tuesday.

This Monday, Jan. 12, 2015, photo provided by NASA shows the first notable solar flare of 2015, as observed from NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory. (AP Photo/NASA, File)

Despite the cosmic proportions of the event, NOAA said citizens shouldn’t be concerned. Some minor inconveniences could occur, such as minor power grid interruptions or an impact on radios, aviation communication, and satellite operations.

The possibility of the storm disrupting the power grid was put at 60%.

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On the brighter side, the effects will likely create auroras visible in Wyoming, South Dakota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan, New York, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine.

Monday and Tuesday’s flares are categorized as coronal mass ejections, a medium-sized solar storm.

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