Slightly elevated geomagnetic conditions may persist for the next 24 hours, but these will soon abate as the wake of the CME passes.
At most, the Met Office predicts “a low chance of the aurora becoming visible down to northern Scotland and similar geomagnetic latitudes, where viewing conditions allow.”
What If It Had Hit Us Head-On? Yet, had the full force of the CME collided with Earth, the situation may have been very different. Professor Elvidge says:
“If the CME had directly impacted Earth, it could have triggered stronger geomagnetic storms, possibly resulting in disruptions to power grids,
Interference with GPS systems, and increased satellite drag which can lead to a greater risk of satellite collisions.” Such satellite instability could have cascading effects on remote healthcare.
Devices, hospital billing systems, and critical care alerts, creating a nightmare scenario for malpractice lawyers, medical coders, and emergency preparedness coordinators.
