Solar Storms

[MorelCabin]

With this new sun cycle coming, I wonder how many of you have taken solar storms into consideration. They have been known to cause damage in the past, and have the potential to change life as we know it drastically.
Actually of all the scenerios in which we might need to rely on our slef sufficient status to survive, I do believe that solar storms are the most likely to ever happen. Anyone agree?

 

[Wifezilla]

Not sure what one would do to modern equipment, but I found and impressive list of solar storms over the years here...

http://www.solarstorms.org/SRefStorms.html

Here are the details from one in 1989...
"At 2:45 AM on March 13, electrical ground currents created by the magnetic storm found their way into the power grid of the Hydro-Quebec Power Authority. Giant capacitors tried to regulate these currents but failed within a few seconds as automatic protective systems took them off-line one by one. Suddenly, the entire 9,500 megawatt output from Hydro-Quebec's La Grande Hydroelectric Complex found itself without proper regulation. Power swings tripped the supply lines from the 2000 megawatt Churchill Falls generation complex, and 18 seconds later, the entire Quebec power grid collapsed. Six million people were affected as they woke to find no electricity to see them through a cold Quebec wintry night. People were trapped in darkened office buildings and elevators, stumbling around to find their way out. Traffic lights stopped working, Engineers from the major North American power companies were worried too. Some would later conclude that this could easily have been a $6 billion catastrophe affecting most US East Coast cities. All that prevented the cascade from affecting the United States were a few dozen capacitors on the Allegheny Network."

Since I have already gone weeks without power when a flash flood took out a power tower near my house, I have everything I need for a black out of a week or three..

 

[MorelCabin]

Here's a pretty good article that explains it.

http://thisistheendoftheworldaswekn...ently-change-life-as-we-know-it-in-an-instant

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

they just had that on the news! that there was a big solar flare and its comin' our way! you northern folks might be able to see it! whoot!

look out for the EMP pulse that knocks out the computers in all the modern cars. when that happens dont over look your garden tractor. whooot! might take a while to get somewhere but i'd bet you'll get good gas mileage.

wait.. maybe the EMP pulse is aliens... or "24"... anyway its totally cool!

 

[Wildsky]

they just had that on the news! that there was a big solar flare and its comin' our way! you northern folks might be able to see it! whoot!

Does that mean in a couple of days or what? I'd love to look out for it.

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

yes the next couple days they said the northern lights were gonna be wowza.. i just caught the last part of the headline.. it was on NBC news

 

[MorelCabin]

Yes the Northern lights are supposed to be amazing the next couple of days. We see them often here in the summers, but many of you don't, and may have a chance now.

 

[big brown horse]

Hey OFG, do you think we can we see them up here? (It is a clear evening and all.)

 

[pioneergirl]

I saw it on NBC as well, then found this, which seems to give a better explanation....

http://www.examiner.com/x-25803-Nat...ptures-video-of-event-set-to-light-up-aurorae

 

[Wildsky]

I'd love to get a look from here - we might not be north enough!
We're covered over with clouds tonight, or right now.