Weather Words: Solar Wind

We often experience windy days here on Earth, but did you know that space experiences wind as well? Space wind is called “solar wind” and it’s next level. It can reach speeds of one million miles per hour!

Solar wind begins on the sun, and has an impact on not only space, but our everyday lives. Because Earth’s magnetosphere is very strong, much of the solar wind is deflected from our planet. However, some particles are able to sneak through and immediately travel toward the poles. When this happens, they contribute to the beautiful, glowing colors of the aurora borealis.

Solar wind has also been known to impact power grids here on Earth. If the winds are especially strong and dense, it can temporarily compress Earth’s magnetic field. This change in magnetic field strength can burn out transformer stations in the power grid and lead to blackouts.

Luckily, NASA is able to track these solar winds emitted from the sun to help us Earthlings prepare for what’s to come.

Jennifer Gray is a weather and climate writer for weather.com. She has been covering some of the world's biggest weather and climate stories for the last two decades.