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Updraft® - Minnesota Weather News

April 18, 2012 3:33 AM

“Sun Storm” triggers giant 79,000 mile solar flare eruption

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Here's something we don't see every day.

On Monday a huge eruption on the sun sent a giant 79,000 mile long solar flare blasting into space.

The massive Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) shot out to the left if you are looking at the sun from earth, which made it highly visible.

Here's the incredible video from You Tube and NASA.

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Source: NASA via You Tube

The details from NASA:

"A beautiful prominence eruption producing a coronal mass ejection (CME) shot off the east limb (left side) of the sun on April 16, 2012. Such eruptions are often associated with solar flares, and in this case an M1 class (medium-sized) flare occurred at the same time, peaking at 1:45 PM EDT. The CME was not aimed toward Earth."

Since the blast was not "earthward directed" it likely will not trigger a large auroua display here on earth.

Gizmodo has another angle. The blast was at least "10 earth's" long!

Source: Gizmodo/NASA

The blast is part of Solar Cycle 24, which is expected to peak next year in 2013.

Rain ends today, but returns tomorrow:

A fast moving upper flow is zipping weather systems through Minnesota quickly this week.

This morning's rain totals ranged between .18" to .35" around the metro, with some higher totals up to .73" up near McGregor in northern Minnesota.

Rainfall totals as system pulls out this morning.

Source: Wx Underground

The next system will zip in Thursday, and another shot of rain can be expected.

Source: Twin Cities NWS

Believe it or not, we're running about +1.5" vs. average for rainfall so far this April at MSP Airport. We still need a good 5"+ to catch up from last falls drought and to begin to restore lake levels to near average.

Keep the umbrella handy Thursday too.

PH