GEOMAGNETIC STORM: A minor (Kp=5) geomagnetic storm is underway around the poles.

GEOMAGNETIC STORM: A minor (Kp=5) geomagnetic storm is underway around the poles. The cause is a medium-speed (~500 km/s) stream of solar wind that hit Earth's magnetic field during the late hours of Feb. 28th. Reports of auroras are coming in from around tthe Arctic Circle, like these photographed by Frank Olsen of over Norway:

"The weather here in Vesterålen has been terrible for more than a week," says Olsen. "I was so glad the clouds parted so we could catch the auroras at 1:30 am local time on March the 1st."

More auroras are in the offing. NOAA forecasters estimate a 20% to 25% chance of polar geomagnetic storms on March 2-3 as the solar wind continues to blow. Aurora alerts: text, voice.

[link to www.spaceweather.com]