Geomagnetic Storm

One morning recently, clicking through the headlines, we found an alert from the National Weather Service which read like an MRI brain scan, to wit:

Potential Impacts: Area of impact primarily poleward of 50 degrees Geomagnetic Latitude.
Induced Currents – Power system voltage irregularities possible, false alarms may be triggered on some protection devices.
Spacecraft – Systems may experience surface charging; increased drag on low Earth-orbit satellites and orientation problems may occur.
Navigation – Intermittent satellite navigation (GPS) problems, including loss-of-lock and increased range error may occur.
Radio – HF (high frequency) radio may be intermittent.
Aurora – Aurora may be seen as low as Pennsylvania to Iowa to Oregon.

Usually, in these parts, it’s the East Winds out of the Columbia Gorge that disturb our atmosphere. We’ve had a few days now of very warm weather, some would say hot, but a couple of days of high 80s feels good after our inglorious winter and rain drenched spring. And last night was prime for a walk into a long warm Spring twilight evening, the moon a simple silver sliver, to view one result of the geomagnetic storm impacting the earth, the Aurora Borealis, the goddess of the dawn riding on the north wind.

We reflected on the sun and the workaday turmoil caused by the solar winds. We’ve two ears, two eyes; if we lose one we can reach for the other, but only one mouth, one voice. One sun, one moon, one Earth. We’ve only one chance for love, one for kindness. When we feel a breeze of love dapple our heart, we should shake off our covers of winter and dance – or walk, or sit out and bask in whatever light is available.