What are solar flares and how can they affect us on Earth? - KTRE.com | Lufkin and Nacogdoches, Texas

by Meteorologist Lee Ringer

What are solar flares and how can the affect us on Earth?

Recent news of solar flares have had many people asking the Live Doppler 9 Weather Team abotu solar flares and if they can affect us on Earth. 

Solar flares are explosions that occur on the surface of the sun.  These explosions release a large amount of energy into space.  Large solar flares can affect satellite communication on Earth, but do not affect the weather on our planet. 

You can read more about solar flares by visiting these websites:

• http://science.nasa.gov/ssl/pad/solar/flares.htm
• http://hesperia.gsfc.nasa.gov/sftheory/flare.htm
• http://www.nasa.gov/vision/universe/solarsystem/SOHO_flare.html