It may make the auroral lights visible at mid-latitudes and cause moderate to strong radio blackouts for aviators and mariners lasting tens of minutes to an hour, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Space Environment Center. S uch radio blackouts also degrade satellite navigation signals for mariners and aviators, with problems lasting tens of minutes during R2 or moderate radio blackouts and for about an hour during R3 or strong blackouts.
Effects also are more widespread during strong blackouts.
G3 geomagnetic storm conditions are expected July 13 and 14. S pace weather increased to moderate levels during the week of July 3 through 9, the agency said. The peak of the 11-year sunspot cycle is upon us. The sun is always belching globs of its inner self into space, but every 11 years or so, changes in our star's magnetic field bring on an increase in sunspots, solar flares and events called coronal mass ejections. The result is a barrage of charged particles hurling toward Earth.