Activity on the Sun can cause space weather storms that affect us here on Earth.
Solar storms can impact the technology we rely on everyday: Global Positioning
Systems (GPS), satellites, and electric power grids. Just as with other types of
weather, the National Weather Service forecasts space weather disturbances and
serves as the official source for civilian alerts and warnings.
Space weather is a consequence of the behavior of the Sun, the nature of Earth’s
magnetic field and atmosphere, and our location in the solar system. There are
various phenomena that originate from the Sun that can result in space weather
storms. Outbursts from huge explosions on the Sun—Solar Flares and Coronal
Mass Ejections (CME)—send space weather storms hurling outward through our
solar system. The Sun also emits a continuous stream of radiation in the form of
charged particles that make up the plasma of the solar wind.
