Russian Scientists Forecast Magnetic Storm Within Two to Four Days

Scientists at Russia’s Solar Astronomy Laboratory expect a geomagnetic storm to reach Earth within two to four days. The laboratory, part of the Space Research Institute under the Russian Academy of Sciences, said M-class solar flares occurred on the 25th of this month, with the latest reaching M7.0. Solar activity stopped suddenly after the flares, but the active region remains directly aligned with Earth, creating conditions for further eruptions, the laboratory said. The ejected plasma is moving at an estimated 600 to 1,000 kilometers per second. Scientists downgraded their initial storm assessment from G3 to G1-G2, indicating a moderate event. Geomagnetic disturbances could last about two days, partly due to additional energy associated with a coronal hole on the Sun’s surface.