A cloud of solar plasma, ejected during an M1.9 flare on the evening of July 30, is approaching Earth, according to the Solar Astronomy Laboratory of IKI RAN. A geomagnetic storm is expected on August 2, which will be the first of the month.

According to scientists' calculations, the ejection is directed away from the planet, but it will still graze Earth. The probability of impact is higher than the risk of a miss: images from coronagraphs show that part of the plasma is flying directly towards the observer. In addition, on the night of July 30-31, heavy particles – high-energy protons – reached Earth, causing a small radiation storm. As a rule, particles are always followed by the ejection front that accelerates them.

The flare itself occurred on July 30 around 8:00 PM Moscow time and was an M1.9 level event. At the time of the event, X-ray monitors experienced a five-hour malfunction, causing a gap in the graphs for several days, but the data has now been restored.

According to the forecast, the intensity of the geomagnetic storm is expected to be at G1 level – a moderate class event that can cause minor disturbances in power systems and affect the health of weather-sensitive people. The peak of geomagnetic disturbances will occur in the morning hours, with intensity decreasing after noon.