The strongest geomagnetic storm in 20 years made the colorful northern lights, or aurora borealis, visible Friday night across the US, even in areas that are normally too far south to see them. And the show may not be over. Tonight may offer another chance to catch the aurora if you have clear skies, according to the NOAA, and Sunday could bring yet more displays reaching as far as Alabama.
The extreme geomagnetic storm continues and will persist through at least Sunday... pic.twitter.com/GMDKikl7mA
— NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center (@NWSSWPC) May 11, 2024
The NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center said on Saturday that the sun has continued to produce powerful solar flares. That’s on top of previously observed coronal mass ejections (CMEs), or explosions of magnetized plasma, that won’t reach Earth until tomorrow. The agency has been monitoring a particularly active sunspot cluster since Wednesday, and confirmed yesterday that it had observed G5 conditions — the level designated “extreme” — which haven’t been seen since October 2003. In a press release on Friday, Clinton Wallace, Director, NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center, said the current storm is “an unusual and potentially historic event.”
The Sun emitted two strong solar flares on May 10-11, 2024, peaking at 9:23 p.m. EDT on May 10, and 7:44 a.m. EDT on May 11. NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory captured images of the events, which were classified as X5.8 and X1.5-class flares. https://t.co/nLfnG1OvvEpic.twitter.com/LjmI0rk2Wm
Geomagnetic storms happen when outbursts from the sun interact with Earth’s magnetosphere. While it all has kind of a scary ring to it, people on the ground don’t really have anything to worry about. As NASA explained on X, “Harmful radiation from a flare cannot pass through Earth’s atmosphere” to physically affect us. These storms can mess with our technology, though, and have been known to disrupt communications, GPS, satellite operations and even the power grid.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/extreme-geomagnetic-storm-may-bless-us-with-more-aurora-displays-tonight-and-tomorrow-192033210.html?src=rss
Nothing is probably more unpredictable than weather, and temperatures can vary greatly even in the same season. People often prepare different wardrobes for different situations, but it can get pretty cumbersome to keep switching jackets whenever the weather changes. Plus, you might have a favorite that you wish you could use whether it’s chilly, sunny, or even rainy. The good news is that such a jacket is no longer just a dream but a toasty reality, thanks to an ingenious jacket design that not only lets you select your desired warmth but also lets you add or remove parts to match the weather, the season, and your sense of style.
Designer: Carolina Gutierrez, founder of UZE, a Miami-based start-up
One Jacket, Countless Options – Thanks to the precision engineering of its modular design, you get more than a jacket – you get an ally for every occasion.
Heated jackets have been around for quite a bit, but the majority of them are as effective as shoving a hot pack inside the jacket’s pocket. You only have one level of heat, which may be too little or too much depending on the weather. These jackets are also designed to be thick and bulky to keep your body warm, which means you can only use them for a limited number of months each year. The UZE Heated Jacket changes the game completely, promising a jacket that you can wear in all four seasons while giving you the power to decide just how toasty you really need to be.
Look Cool, Feel Hot – Four Graphene heat zones and three heat settings (120°F, 140°F, 160°F) ensure you stay warm in any weather.
The secret to this unbelievable feat is the same graphene technology that the brand uses for its popular power banks, which happens to be a remarkable material for heat conduction. With four graphene heat zones and three heat settings of 120°F, 140°F, and 160°F, you don’t have to frantically search for the right jacket just because it suddenly gets colder or warmer. With a simple touch of a button, you can select the level of warmth that will make you feel comfortable, whether you’re going out for a brisk morning walk or braving the snow. And you don’t have to worry about your jacket running out of power in the middle of the day. UZE is best known for its power banks, so you shouldn’t be surprised that its Heated Jacket carries one that can keep you warm for up to 10 hours and charges in 45 minutes, 10x faster than your run-of-the-mill heated jacket.
Charge 10x Faster, Instant Warmth – The UZE Power Bank keeps you warm for up to 10 hours and charges 10x faster than typical heated jacket power banks (45 minutes vs. 8 hours).
That adjustable warmth is just one of the UZE Heated Jacket’s superpowers. Even when you don’t actually need that kind of heat, the jacket provides comfort and style all year round thanks to its modular design and stylish looks. Add a fur-lined hood when you want to keep your head warm as well or remove the liner when you want a snug fit. There’s even an underarm zipper for better ventilation, perfect for people with more active lifestyles. So yes, you can even wear it as part of your summer glam or fall fashion with its clean style and modern looks.
No More Raining on Your Parade – The fabric’s membranes are 20,000 times smaller than a drop of water but larger than water vapor molecules, achieving superior breathability.
Everything In Its Place, Always Within Reach – Instant access, all within reach. Bank card, key card or ski pass. Bid farewell to fiddly pockets.
One Jacket, Countless Options – Thanks to the precision engineering of its modular design, you get more than a jacket – you get an ally for every occasion.
With waterproof zippers and the specially-developed UZEShield fabric, you can also wear it under the rain or in strong winds. This proprietary fabric prevents water droplets from getting in while allowing water vapor to escape, ensuring enhanced breathability. Want to travel light without a bag? The jacket has plenty of pockets to carry not just the power bank, but also your phone, cards, and other accessories. It even has a cloth wiper for your sunglasses and a built-in keychain holder so you won’t have to worry about losing your keys ever again. With the UZE Heated Jacket, you’re in complete control of your comfort and your style, giving you the exact amount of warmth and protection you need, regardless of what the weather throws at you.
A machine learning-based weather prediction program developed by DeepMind researchers called “GraphCast” can predict weather variables over the span of 10 days, in under one minute. In a report, scientists highlight that GraphCast has outperformed traditional weather pattern prediction technologies at a 90% verification rate.
The AI-powered weather prediction program works by taking in “the two most recent states of Earth’s weather,” which includes the variables from the time of the test and six hours prior. Using that data, GraphCast can predict what the state of the weather will be in six hours.
In practice, AI has already showcased its applicability in the real world. The tool predicted the landfall of Hurricane Lee in Long Island 10 days before it happened, while the traditional weather prediction technologies being used by meteorologists at the time lagged behind. Forecasts made by standard weather simulations can take longer because traditionally, models have to account for complicated physics and fluid dynamics to make accurate predictions.
Not only does the weather prediction algorithm outperform traditional technologies to forecast weather patterns in terms of pace and scale, GraphCast can also predict severe weather events, which includes tropical cyclones and waves of extreme temperatures over regions. And because the algorithm can be re-trained with recent data, scientists believe that the tool will only get better at predicting oscillations in weather patterns that coincide with grander changes that align with climate change.
Soon, GraphCast, or at least the basis of the AI algorithm that powers its predictions, might pop up into more mainstream services. According to Wired, Google might be exploring how to integrate GraphCast into its products. The call for better storm modeling has already paved a path for supercomputers in the space. The NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) says it has been working to develop models that will provide more accurate readings on when severe weather events might occur and importantly, the intensity forecasts for hurricanes.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai-is-starting-to-outperform-meteorologists-173616631.html?src=rss
