White House has plan for extreme space weather threat

The USA government already has plans in place in case natural disasters such as cyclones, droughts, earthquakes and wild forest fires strike.

Solar flares are sudden bursts of solar radiation across the electromagnetic spectrum that occur when magnetic energy that has built up in the Sun is released suddenly. According to the Houston Chronicle, the multiagency plan details how the USA will prepare for-and deal with-a massive EMP from space. Welcome to the future, where we don't just have to worry about terrestrial weather anymore.

Through the documents and the efforts that went into them, the new strategy will pave way for a national approach to better securing against the space-weather risk.

Space weather events such as solar flares, solar coronal mass ejections (CMEs) and solar energetic particles are natural occurrences that can pose threats.

To improve preparedness, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) released the National Space Weather Action Plan (PDF) and the National Space Weather Strategy (PDF), which involve other agencies to take part in making preparations for a worst-case scenario such as the 1859 Carrington event, a powerful geomagnetic solar storm that caused telegraph lines to explode at the time.

Power could be wiped out for months and modern-day necessities such as mobile-phones and the internet could be rendered useless thanks to this extreme "space weather event".

In today's more technologically advance world, experts fear the repercussions of such an event could be devastating. It could take several years to recover fully from such an event, and the cost of dealing with the fallout could top $1 trillion. For one, it may permanently damage power grids across the world.

"As technology increases so does our vulnerability to space weather effects".

Early warning and forecast capabilities are vital because in the event of a powerful solar flare or CME directed at the Earth, responders will have only about 15 minutes warning before the flare hits. The six-step plan requires government agencies, schools, the media, the insurance industry, nonprofits, and more to work together.

The plan advises private individuals to prepare by keeping emergency kits with fresh water, food, and medication sufficient to last at least 72 hours.