Sunny, Mild and ... Stormy

Skies are blue and partly cloudy, but we’re in the middle of storms that have caused flights to be rerouted and may interrupt GPS systems.

An active solar radiation storm is showering us with high-energy charged particles that can interrupt communications and other satellite-dependent technologies. 

We're also seeing some geomagnetic activity, according to Howard Singer, chief scientist at NOAA’s National Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC), but, the level of activity is minimal -- G-1 category, not leading to much more than increased Aurora Borealis activity in northern Michigan or Maine. 

Locally, we seem to be weathering the storms without incident. Jonathan Dean, spokesman for BWI, said that there had been no effects at the airport as a result of the solar storm. “No,” he said simply. “Nothing.”

Lt. Kenneth Coyle at the Howard County Department of Fire and Rescue Services Office of Emergency Management said that he hasn't seen any blips or beeps either. 

"We are aware of [the solar storm]," he said. "We have not experienced, or are not aware of any problems it has caused." 

Earlier in the day, news outlets were reporting that the largest solar radiation storm since 2005 was headed our way. But when upwards of a billion tons of matter is flung into space at several million miles per hour, news changes quickly.

SWPC is now reporting that this is the largest solar storm since 2003.

Classified as a level S3, or “strong,” the storm may cause some satellite operations problems and weaken radio signals in the polar region.

The only potential health hazard is increased radiation exposure for astronauts and passengers in high-altitude flights, according to NOAA. 

Solar storms are periods of increased activity on the sun’s surface, including solar flares and coronal mass ejections (CME).

Solar flares are the largest disturbances in the solar system, according to SWPC, which defined them as “intense, short-lived releases of energy” that can last for hours.

CMEs occur when a bubble of gas and magnetic field is violently flung from the sun, according to SWPC. The matter can travel several million miles per hour.

Though we haven't seen many first-hand effects, in other places high-altitude planes have been directed to fly lower and, CNet reports, flights through the North Pole have been re-routed. 

That's because when the highly energized particles emitted during a solar flare reach Earth, they follow the lines of the planet's magnetic field, Singer said, straight into the magnetic Poles. On the way, they absorb radio waves and can interfere with radio communications.

"They have diverted flights from flying over the Poles ... to avoid being in a situation where they lose communications," Singer said.

That means flights that usually pass over the Poles -- from New York to Beijing, for example -- are using more fuel, and taking more time, to avoid any potential problems.

This article was updated to include comment from Howard Singer, chief scientist at NOAA’s National Space Weather Prediction Center.