2013 solar flares could cause major blackouts

Not with a bang but a crackle

Scientists at U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration have said that the peaks of two cycles in the Sun will coincide in 2013 to produce massive magnetic storms that could shut down power grids and disrupt the operation of GPS navigation, portable digital devices and even microcomputers. And, the storms could begin very abruptly.

Dr Richard Fisher, director of the Heliophysics division at NASA, said in an interview with the Telegraph of the UK that the Sun�s 22-year magnetic energy cycle and 11-year sunspot cycle will coincide in 2013 and hit the Earth with high levels of magnetic radiation.

It is possible, though unlikely, that large areas could be without power for several months, Fisher said.

�We know it is coming but we don�t know how bad it is going to be,� he said.

Story here: �NASA warns solar flares from 'huge space storm' will cause devastation�

Tom Kelchner