WASHINGTON, May 11 — .For the first time since 2003, the US Weather Service has raised its estimate of the strength of a geomagnetic storm that reached the Earth to its maximum level, the organization said in a statement.
“Extreme G5 conditions reached the Earth at 6:54 p.m. Eastern time (01:54 Moscow time on Saturday – Editor's note). The geomagnetic storm will most likely persist throughout the weekend,” the message said.
Noted that the last time the maximum geomagnetic storm assessment level was set was in October 2003.
The power of magnetic storms is assessed on a five-point scale. Storms of level G1 are considered the weakest; they have almost no effect on the operation of electrical appliances. Level G3 is a severe storm, it directly affects power systems and causes interruptions in satellite navigation and radio communications. The maximum level is G5, large-scale problems with the power grid and serious malfunctions in the operation of satellites and radio communications are possible.
Previously, the head of the Solar Astronomy Laboratory of the Space Research Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Sergei Bogachev, reported that a very strong magnetic storm had begun on Earth can last from 20 to 40 hours.
During strong magnetic storms, people may feel a headache, weakness, pressure surges, and experience insomnia. Scientists attribute this to the fact that when the magnetic field fluctuates, capillary blood flow slows down and tissue oxygen starvation occurs.
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