The largest solar flare in five years is racing toward Earth, threatening to unleash a torrent of charged particles that could disrupt power grids, radio and TV stations, GPS, and airplane flights as of about 6 Thursday morning.
The federal government’s Space Weather Prediction Center says the flare is growing as it speeds outward from the sun, and is likely to last through Friday morning.
Area radio stations, police communications systems, wireless internet connections , and RF communications systems signals may sound “fuzzy” or “distorted”, and possibly disappear altogether temporarily, but it should start clearing up by midday Friday, March 9th.
A second set of flares is expected to follow in the next few days.
Mike Isbell, W5KIX
Secretary
Brownwood Amateur Radio Club
