Augusta, GA

Northern Lights could flare again across region with sunspot’s return

Published

1 month ago

June 2, 2024

Northern Lights could flare again across region with sunspot’s return

AUGUSTA, Ga. – Mid-May brought a stunning display of the Northern Lights to much of the world with reports of the aurora visible in all of the lower 48 states in the U.S. – and across the CSRA.

The sunspot responsible for the impressive solar flares was at just the right location to send the energy toward the Earth, resulting in a G5 geomagnetic storm.

This storm was the biggest since 2003 and triggered a stunning and widespread view of the Northern Lights.

The sunspot turned away from the Earth for just over two weeks and is now reappearing on the eastern edge of the sun. The sun rotates on an average of 27 days so active sunspots are typically visible from Earth for around two weeks before facing away from Earth.

Right now, the European Space Agency’s Solar Orbiter is sitting on the opposite of the sun from Earth, giving solar scientists the ability to monitor the far side of the sun.

This gives us a special treat as the active sunspot was able to be tracked, even when hidden from Earth’s view. The sunspot has been less active recently but it’s too early to say if this trend will continue.

Now that the sunspot is back in view, over the next two weeks, any solar flares from this region may reach Earth.

However, it’s the coronal mass ejections or CMEs scientists are watching for to trigger the Northern Lights.

For one to have the best odds of reaching Earth, it would need to erupt around June 4-6, when the sunspot is the prime location. This 27 days, a full solar rotation since the mid-May solar flares. This is when we have the best odds of getting a geomagnetic storm and seeing the Northern Lights pushed further south again.

Keep in mind, the aurora event in May was a rare occurrence.

It was the first G5 geomagnetic storm in 21 years. So the likelihood of a repeat performance so close behind is not terribly high.

But even more common G3 to G4 storms could still allow for the Northern Lights to appear low on the horizon in parts of the Carolinas.

And we are in a solar maximum the rest of the year into 2025, so the possibility of more impressive aurora events remains for a while.

You can check out the latest Northern Lights forecast with our tracker right here: https://www.foxcarolina.com/page/northern-lights-tracker/

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Augusta, GA

Verizon customers throughout the CSRA lose service

Published

31 mins ago

July 3, 2024

Press Room

Verizon customers throughout the CSRA lose service

Memes sprang up all over social media making fun of Verizon’s ad line “can you hear me now,” as thousands of customers across the CSRA lost mobile, text and data capability.

However, those who rely on their mobile phones to conduct vital business were not laughing.

Verizon customers from Aiken to Grovetown reported they had lost service.

According to Down Detector, problems began in the early morning hours and spiked around 3 p.m. as the system seemed to collapse with users getting an ‘SOS” message.

The city of Augusta sent out a notice on social media that claimed even the “SOS” functions on the phone were disabled and could not link to either the “311” or “911” systems. The message urged citizens to report emergencies on a landline or seek out a neighbor using a different carrier.

Some calls could make it through to 911, but data, such as the caller’s address and phone number did not appear on the dispatcher’s screen, meaning they could not call back if the signal dropped suddenly.

The message also urged the following: “Officials ask customers not to call 911 to test service.”

Users can connect to a Wi-Fi service to make calls and texts.

Service appears to have been restored as of 9 p.m. The company has not released an official statement on what caused the outage.

Scott Hudson is the Senior Investigative Reporter and Editorial Page Editor for The Augusta Press. Reach him at scott@theaugustapress.com

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Augusta, GA

Former AU basketball, soccer coach dies at 91

Published

8 hours ago

July 2, 2024

Press Room

Former AU basketball, soccer coach dies at 91

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – A former Augusta University women’s basketball and men’s soccer coach has died, according to reports.

Augustajags.com reports that 91-year-old Lowell Barnhart died on June 28.

From 1986 to 1999, Barnhart served as the head women’s basketball coach at Augusta College, according to augustajags.com.

He won the PBC Coach of the Year award in 1992 and 1995.

Barnhart also served as the head men’s golf coach at Augusta College for 10 years.

According to Barnhart’s obituary, Barnhart was inducted into the Kosciusko County Basketball Hall of Fame, Class of 2011.

His obituary says he was an avid golfer and a long-term member at Forest Hills Golf Course.

A memorial service was held on Tuesday at 2 p.m. in Storey Chapel at First Baptist Church of Augusta.

Barnhart’s obituary says memorial contributions may be made in memory of Coach Barnhart to Augusta University Athletic Department CFH 214, 1120 Fifteenth Street, Augusta, GA 30912.

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