“although predicting these events beyond a few days can be challenging, we can confidently say that with solar maximum approaching, more captivating displays of auroras are undoubtedly on their way,” he said.
the increased opportunities are set to span the next several years, with the highest likelihood occurring around the time of solar maximum.
“that being said, we had two large g4 storms earlier this year and solar storms can occur on both the ascending and descending slopes of the solar cycle i.e., before and after the solar maximum,” brasher said.
while the solar maximum is often associated with increased solar activity, brasher added it’s important to note that significant solar storms can still happen during the declining phase of the cycle.
“historically, for example, some notable solar storms, such as the ones in 1989 and 2003, did occur during the declining phase of the solar cycle.”
storms can cause issues to the power grid, but less likely in alberta: aeso
g4 storms can wreak havoc on technology, causing widespread voltage control problems, radio blackouts and more frequent issues for gps satellites.
while trouble for electrical utilities is possible during such storms, a spokesperson from the alberta electric system operator said it is less of an issue here in alberta, although they are monitored as there is a small chance solar storms can impact the grid.