# Any reason to be concerned about CME’s this weekend? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 10, 2024, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-reason-to-be-concerned-about-cme-s-this-weekend/1001380 "2024-05-10T19:31:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2024, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-reason-to-be-concerned-about-cme-s-this-weekend/1001380/1 "2024-05-10T19:31:42Z")
I was just reading this Gizmodo article, and it seems there is the possibility it could disrupt some forms of communications? > **[World Warned to Prepare for Today's Severe Geomagnetic Storm, First in 20 Years](https://gizmodo.com/severe-solar-geomagnetic-solar-storm-watch-1851468637)** > > A batch of strong solar flares has appeared on the Sun over the past few days, prompting officials to issue a severe geomagnetic storm watch. ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2024, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-reason-to-be-concerned-about-cme-s-this-weekend/1001380/2 "2024-05-10T19:34:47Z")
According to the article, “CME” means “coronal mass ejection”. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2024, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-reason-to-be-concerned-about-cme-s-this-weekend/1001380/3 "2024-05-10T19:37:43Z")
No more concerned than I would be about a typical thunderstorm. ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2024, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-reason-to-be-concerned-about-cme-s-this-weekend/1001380/4 "2024-05-10T19:41:16Z")
Yes, I meant solar flares ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2024, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-reason-to-be-concerned-about-cme-s-this-weekend/1001380/5 "2024-05-11T01:47:55Z")
Thank god, I thought there was going to be mandatory Continuing Medical Education all weekend. 😱 ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2024, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-reason-to-be-concerned-about-cme-s-this-weekend/1001380/6 "2024-05-11T01:49:52Z")
“Now, just bend over and cough for the next 18 hours, please.” ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2024, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-reason-to-be-concerned-about-cme-s-this-weekend/1001380/7 "2024-05-11T01:54:48Z")
All I know is that my internet is via satellite, and it’s been cutting in and out for a few hours now. Hmmppff!!! ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2024, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-reason-to-be-concerned-about-cme-s-this-weekend/1001380/8 "2024-05-11T02:19:10Z")
> [@Pleonast](#): > > “coronal mass ejection” Those are lyrics from a Yes tune; I’m not sure which one but the phrase ends with “touching,” for some reason. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2024, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-reason-to-be-concerned-about-cme-s-this-weekend/1001380/9 "2024-05-11T02:31:37Z")
On the positive side, if we experience anything like the [1859 Carrington Event](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carrington_Event#Telegraphs) we could operate our telegraphs for up to two hours without connecting to any power source. Imagine the convenience! ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2024, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-reason-to-be-concerned-about-cme-s-this-weekend/1001380/10 "2024-05-11T02:53:27Z")
Or fire will shoot out of the receptacles in your house. Eeek! 😳 ---
**Author:** ![CairoCarol](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cairocarol/32/3825_2.png) [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2024, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-reason-to-be-concerned-about-cme-s-this-weekend/1001380/11 "2024-05-11T02:59:56Z")
Well for once, I - the Hawai’i dweller - get to envy those of you who reside in less paradisiacal places. Although the Carrington Event apparently brought auroras all the way to Hawai’i, that doesn’t seem to be the prediction here. Enjoy the light show, you lucky devils! ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2024, 8:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-reason-to-be-concerned-about-cme-s-this-weekend/1001380/12 "2024-05-11T08:52:44Z")
> [@Aspenglow](#): > > All I know is that my internet is via satellite, and it’s been cutting in and out for a few hours now. Well, yes, that would be sort of expected, unfortunately for you… For the average person this is unlikely to be a big deal. Maybe a chance to see the Northern Lights unusually far south. For anything satellite based it’s a problem. Also for some types of radio communications and for utility companies that might have to worry about effects on the grid. If industry does a good job of mitigating the potential problems the rest of us won’t notice much (other than, say, satellite anything or broadcast TV/radio being a bit glitchy for a couple days.). ---
**Author:** ![vbob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vbob/32/4439_2.png) [@vbob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vbob)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2024, 9:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-reason-to-be-concerned-about-cme-s-this-weekend/1001380/13 "2024-05-11T09:34:14Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > For anything satellite based it’s a problem. So - is GPS likely to stop working, or stop being correct enough to safely rely upon? How will we know how close our Amazon delivery isn’t? ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2024, 11:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-reason-to-be-concerned-about-cme-s-this-weekend/1001380/14 "2024-05-11T11:30:40Z")
The worst part of the Carrington event was the loss of GPS. Trains couldn’t find their way for hours. ---
**Author:** ![vbob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vbob/32/4439_2.png) [@vbob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vbob)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2024, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-reason-to-be-concerned-about-cme-s-this-weekend/1001380/15 "2024-05-11T15:27:00Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Trains couldn’t find their way for hours. Standard hours or daylight savings hours? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2024, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-reason-to-be-concerned-about-cme-s-this-weekend/1001380/16 "2024-05-12T01:24:10Z")
In all seriousness, CMEs can cause damage… if they’re unexpected. If they are expected, then anyone who operates any sort of large electronic network can take steps to protect it (mostly, detaching some pieces from each other, which decreases efficiency a bit, but leaves things functioning). If you know the CME is coming and take appropriate measures, then it might interfere with radio communications (including satellite communications) while it’s actually happening, but things will be fine again once it’s passed. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2024, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-reason-to-be-concerned-about-cme-s-this-weekend/1001380/17 "2024-05-12T14:41:27Z")
> **[Solar Storm Knocks Out Farmers' Tractor GPS Systems During Peak Planting Season](https://www.404media.co/solar-storm-knocks-out-tractor-gps-systems-during-peak-planting-season/)** > > The accuracy of some critical GPS navigation systems used in modern farming have been "extremely compromised," a John Deere dealership told customers Saturday. This technology is probably something most of us aren’t aware of [having gotten our knowledge of farming either from when we were young or from movies/TV]. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2024, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-reason-to-be-concerned-about-cme-s-this-weekend/1001380/18 "2024-05-14T13:01:49Z")
> **[Not Just Auroras: Here's the Tech That Got Hit by This Weekend's Solar Storm](https://gizmodo.com/not-just-auroras-heres-the-tech-that-got-hit-by-this-w-1851472838)** > > SpaceX's Elon Musk said the company's Starlink satellites were "under a lot of pressure" from the incoming radiation.