Warnings have been issued for portions of the United States’ electric power grid amid a forecasted severe geomagnetic storm.
The Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) of the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) issued the forecast on Tuesday, saying a geomagnetic storm at a strength of category G4 would cause issues with electrical grids for states poleward of the 45th parallel.
States north of that latitude include Oregon, Idaho, Montana, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine.
Newsweek reached out to NOAA via email for comment.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/weather/topstories/power-grid-warning-issued-for-11-states/ar-AA1QeKO7
Strongest solar flare of 2025 erupts — and it could bring auroras to half the US on Wednesday
The most powerful solar flare of 2025 has launched a ball of energy toward Earth that could trigger widespread auroras across the northern half of the United States.
Three powerful outbursts of solar plasma are barrelling toward Earth, with dazzling auroras possible across the northern half of the United States over the coming nights.
Minor auroral activity is possible at high latitudes tonight (Nov. 11), but Wednesday (Nov. 12) could bring the Northern Lights as far south as northern California and Alabama, according to an alert from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). There could also be a strong showing of auroras on Thursday (Nov. 13), NOAA added, though that forecast may change as more data comes in over the coming days.
The three solar outbursts headed our way — known as coronal mass ejections (CMEs) — were all launched from a particularly active sunspot called AR4274, which is currently aimed toward Earth. The first two CMEs erupted on Nov. 9 and Nov. 10, respectively, and were each triggered by powerful X-class solar flares — the most powerful class of solar flare on NOAA’s space weather prediction scale.
They’re not saying it outright, but this sounds like a grid test in disguise. You don’t issue that kind of alert unless something deeper’s in play.