Massive solar storm 'could knock out radio signals' over next three days, warn scientists

Skywatchers will be hoping for clear skies from today because particles from a recent solar storm will slam into Earth and produce amazing Northern Lights, or auroras.

On the downside, experts expect radio blackouts for a few days, caused by the radiation from the flare – or coronal mass ejection (CME) – causing magnetic storms.

The flare is part of a larger increase in activity in the Sun, which runs in 11-year cycles. It is expected to peak around 2013.

Stunning Northern Lights are expected in the next few days from radiation produced by a huge solar flare

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Space Weather Prediction Center wrote: ‘Category G1 (Minor) geomagnetic storms are expected 28 and 29 December due to multiple coronal mass ejection arrivals. R1 (Minor) radio blackouts are expected until 31 December.’

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2079352/Massive-solar-storm-knock-radio-signals-produce-amazing-Northern-Lights.html