[Regnum] A moderate magnetic storm will hit Earth on the night of August 29. Anton Reva, a senior researcher at the Space Plasma Physics Department at the Russian Academy of Sciences' Space Research Institute, spoke with Regnum News Agency.
According to the specialist, a coronal mass ejection (CME) following a solar flare is heading toward Earth on August 28. Its impact with the planet will cause a magnetic storm.
"The plasma cloud will brush the edge of the Earth. When this happens, a magnetic storm will occur. Once the cloud passes, the storm will end. The magnetic storm is expected to hit around midnight today. It will last until about nine in the morning," Reva noted.
The most active phase typically lasts about six hours. Even at its peak, the magnetic storm's intensity should not exceed average values.
"The magnetic storm will be slightly below average in strength. It's expected to be slightly below G2 (out of a possible five). But this is a forecast; actual readings may vary," the scientist concluded.
An M7.0-class flare occurred on August 25 and was the latest in a series of solar flares. Scientists initially predicted it would trigger strong G3-level magnetic storms, but this estimate was later downgraded to G1–G2.