Coronal Mass Ejection headed to Earth on Oct. 30

The sleeping giant seems to have awoken.  Although the Sun is in a solar maximum, it has been relatively quiet - that is until recently.  The Sun has released three solar flares in the last three days. The latest flare was an X-class flare, which is the most intense flare the sun releases.  Be prepared for some solar storms on the 30th of October since the latest flare was accompanied by a coronal mass ejection (CME).  At the very least this CME will cause some beautiful auroras and at the most extreme ends can disrupt our satellites and power grids.  

Government Plans Power Outage Drills

I have long expressed concerns over a potential power grid failure, as have many other individuals and organizations.  Finally, this issue is gaining much needed focus from government officials.  A joint drill is scheduled to take place in the US, Canada, and Mexico.  This drill will include many agencies - FBI, terrorism experts, government agencies, and utility workers.  This drill is set to take place November 13 and 14 and will focus on government reactions to such a crisis.

"Canyon of Fire" on the Sun

The Solar Dynamics Observatory pieced together pictures taken on September 29 & 30 and created a video which displays a 200,000 mile "canyon of fire" on the Sun's surface.  By observing the varying colors in the images, scientists believe that much of the canyon had temperatures at 1.8 million degrees Fahrenheit.  

Sun releases an M9.4 class flare

Image Caption: NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory or SDO, captured this image on the sun of an M9.4-class solare flare, which peaked at 8:30 pm EDT on Oct. 23, 2013.  The image displays light in the wavelenght of 131 Angstroms, which is good for viewing the intense heat of a solar flare and typically colored teal.  Credit: NASA/SDO

Yesterday evening the sun released a mid-level solar flare.  The flare emitted was a M 9.4 class flare, which falls in the higher range of M class flares.  These M class flares can cause brief blackouts at the polar regions.  It is important to note that although the sun has remained relatively quiet during its solar maximum that it is still active.  

The Car Conundrum if We Lose Power

I've seen a lot of internet chat lately regarding concerns whether modern cars would continue to function after a massive solar storm.  

If an event similar to the 1859 Carrington Event were to occur today, it is hard to predict how much damage it would do to our daily lives.  In 1859, society's impact was very isolated, mostly just a lot of curiosity owing to the immense area and brightness of the auroras.  At that time, the telegraph was the most technologically affected system.  The communication systems and operators experienced sparks and flames coming from the equipment.  

Today's society is much different, though.  We have become so dependent upon the technology which has seeped in to every aspect of our lives (home, work, and personal).  The power grids?  They are protected by the copper grounding wires which are being stripped by immoral and dishonest thieves.  Would they fail or manage to hold together with a massive surge in energy?  We buy gas with a credit card - which requires satellite transmissions  We use the GPS on our phones and in our cars - again, satellite transmissions. We watch television which is powered by the power grid.  We drink water brought to our apartments by water companies powered by the grid and taken away by sewage companies again powered by the grid.  We depend on truckers to transport our fresh fruit from states and countries far outside our reach.  Want a McDonald's cheeseburger?  Think again, Ronald don't work in dark restaurants.

There are so many unknowns in this scenario.

So, what is my advice on buying a car in case of a solar flare?

1.  If you buy a modern vehicle, especially an electrical model - there is a risk of fire or wire malfunction - with or without a CME.  

2.  If you buy an older vehicle to fix it up, do it as a hobby.  Why put so much time and money into something that may only end up leaving you stranded?  

3.  Along with point #2 - you must still consider the fuel consumption if rebuilding an older vehicle.  You don't want to build a car that guzzles gas.  If the gas pumps aren't running (because they, like everything else, don't work without the power grids), you would still want a conservative car.   

The moral of the story - it's all a conundrum.  There are so many what-if's in this scenario and it may or may not happen in our lifetime.  So my advice?  Prepare yourself and your family just in case something should happen.  Worry more about the necessities (food, water, protection, and a plan) than buying new cars or building cement bunkers.  This isn't just a good idea for the solar flare fanatics (though I might be considered one since I did write a novel about the post-solar flare world).  This is a good idea for everyone since natural disasters happen all the time across the globe.  It's just common sense.  

Now go get some water and non-perishable foods to get you and your family started.  

What is going on with the Sun?

The Sun is currently in a solar maximum, a condition that occurs every 11 years where the Sun experiences a lot of sunspot activity.  However, scientists are baffled at the blemish free appearance of the sun leading some to speculate that we may be in store for a 'twin peak' maximum cycle.  If these sunspots throw flares at our beautiful blue orb, we could be in for some disruptions.  Only time will tell.  For now, we will keep our eyes to the sky.  

Power Outages

Blackout impacts millions in Canada and 7 U.S. states

It was ten years ago that the power outages struck Canada and several U.S. states.  This event impacted seven states and there were over 50 million people without power.  Although there have been some improvements made to our power systems since that time, we still suffer from frequent power surges and are at risk of solar flares impacting our grid system.  The flare that took down the Quebec grid cost 1.5 billion dollars in damages, with 250 million of that cost being from destroyed perishables.  The relatively 'small' occurrence that happened 10 years ago caused a relatively small blip in our world - what would happen if another Carrington Event occurred in today's world?  The impact on our society and economy would be incalculable.

Transportation comes to a halt

Gas stations unable to pump gasoline