Study spanning 67 years links solar storms to weather shifts
Turns out, solar storms aren't just cool space events: they can actually shake up our weather here on Earth, and fast.
A new study looked at 67 years of data and found that bursts of energy from the sun (called geomagnetic storms) can trigger sudden changes in rainfall, wind speed, and temperature within hours or days.
Researchers say local forecasts could improve
Joachim Raeder, the lead researcher at the University of New Hampshire, says this could help us understand (maybe even predict) local and seasonal weather shifts better.
The study noticed big drops in rainfall right after these storms, especially around places like Hudson Bay and the Rockies.
While scientists are still figuring out exactly how it works (the polar vortex might play a role), this discovery could make weather forecasts smarter in the future.