On Tuesday, April 15, around 20:00 Moscow time, plasma clouds from solar flares that occurred earlier in the week reached Earth. Their arrival was accompanied by a sharp increase in the interplanetary magnetic field — by 5 times, which was recorded by instruments. The forecast was almost completely confirmed: a storm was expected by 22:00, but it came two hours earlier.
A moderate geomagnetic storm is currently observed (level G2.3 on a 5-point scale), but the situation is unstable — periods of intensification alternate with weakening. Despite the overall high level of geomagnetic activity, at certain moments the Earth's magnetic field may remain calm.
Storms of this level can affect power systems, communications, and satellite operations. Sometimes they cause auroras even in mid-latitudes, but in this case, their probability is low — due to the characteristics of the magnetic field of the eruption, which so far prevents the penetration of plasma into the Earth's magnetosphere. However, the situation may change by the evening.
The storm is expected to last until mid-tomorrow.
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