The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is keeping an eye on a set of solar storms and explosions that could disrupt satellite, telecommunications and electric equipment here on Earth in the next few days.

While activity had reportedly returned to somewhat normal levels when solar winds calmed Monday morning, another explosion Tuesday was three times larger than the February 15 flare, which, until now, was the most significant flare of this solar cycle.

NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory is reporting that the most recent flare, the third in the past three days, “will likely generate bright auroras as far south as Pennsylvania and could possibly upset electronic equipment, especially in space.”

The real forecast worth taking a look at, however, is the one for 2013, when solar activity levels are expected to peak with the next “solar maximum” within the 11-year activity cycle. Electric and magnetic interference from solar storms blasting electrically charged particles into the Earth’s magnetic field can cause major interferences on earth. Already this year, there have been reports of lost high-frequency radio communication with aircraft near the Arctic, along flight paths where pilots depend on such communication for flight safety and guidance.

Pilots and commercial aircraft are not the only ones at risk, either. NOAA cautions that many systems humans use every day are vulnerable to changes in space weather, including GPS applications in mobile phones and in cars, power grids and military satellites.

http://lightyears.blogs.cnn.com/2011/08/09/solar-explosions-could-impact-earth/?hpt=hp_t2