Most scientists agree that next year will have solar maximum, which would increase the region in which the northern lights may be seen.
Additionally, once the phase ends, the Sun’s surface acitivity will progressively decrease in the next years as it approaches solar minimum.
We will continue to see space weather throughout the solar cycle, even as overall activity decreases, even while the overall number of sunspots will begin to decrease after solar maximum.
In fact, during some solar cycles, the greater occurrences may occur when the Sun returns to solar minimum,” Hammond said.
In order to minimize any possible interruption to satellite operations or certain ground-based infrastructure,
it is our responsibility at MOSWOC to predict these occurrences throughout the next months and years.
