A solar storm is expected to hit Earth's magnetic field early Saturday and last through Sunday. Scientists said it will be a minor event and they have notified power-grid operators, airlines, and other potentially affected parties. “We don't see any ill effects to any systems," said forecaster Joe Kunches at the U.S. government's Space Weather Prediction Center in Boulder, Colorado. The storm started Thursday as the sun unleashed a massive flare that sent a cloud of highly charged particles racing toward Earth. It was the sixth time this year that such a powerful solar outburst has happened. None of the previous storms caused major problems. In severe cases, solar storms can cause power blackouts, damage satellites, and disrupt global-positioning system (GPS) signals and high-frequency radio communications. Airlines sometimes are forced to reroute flights to avoid the extra radiation from solar storms around the North and South Poles. The solar storm is part of the sun's normal 11-year cycle of solar activity, which is expected to reach a peak next year.
