Solar Flares And Geomagnetic Storms: No Major Threat Of Power Failures And Devastation, NOAA Assures

The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) had predicted a solar storm, which would hit the Earth. A huge hole in the Sun was thought to have triggered flare blasts.

This was first reported by The Sun warning Christmas Day revellers about the imminent geomagnetic storms and the potential catastrophic impact of this event.

The Sun had reported citing NOAA that solar wind had allegedly hit the Earth's magnetic field. This had apparently triggered a somewhat powerful geomagnetic storm that could carry on for many days.

The same media outlet had warned that flare blasts from a huge hole in the Sun may leave a lot of devastation in its wake after it hits the planet Earth. These fast solar winds were timed with the winter solstice on Wednsday, The Sun's report revealed.

While the report also warned that solar storms have the power to uproot and destroy key navigation systems or cause severe power outages by destroying the national power grids, NOAA has allayed any such potential threats.

NOAA has contradicted this report by The Sun. The Editor of RT received a mail from NOAA spokeswoman Maureen O'Leary, who is being quoted here.

As told in the RT report, and to convey the exact statement, "What is correct is that G2 (Moderate) geomagnetic storm levels were observed on  December 21 and G1 (Minor) geomagnetic storm levels observed on December 22," O'Leary said.

"The geomagnetic storm levels observed on December 21-22 are fairly typical levels at this time in the solar cycle AND were the result of the Earth's interaction with a coronal hole high speed stream. There are no threats (geomagnetic, solar radiation storms, or radio blackouts) underway," Maureen O'Leary further said.

Christmas celebrations can now go on without any fear or concern about the threat of an impending disaster from geomagnetic storms.