Extreme solar storms took tractors in circles while farmers were planting crops

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Some farmers had to suspend operations during the most extreme geomagnetic storm in 20 years.

U.S. farmers trying to plant crops were sent in circles in May when extreme geomagnetic storms disrupted the precise navigation system used to put down rows of seeds.Solar storms between May 10 and 12 produced the first G5 geomagnetic storm, the most extreme on NOAA's space weather scale, in 20 years, creating Northern lights in the southern U.S. However, the beautiful dancing lights are only one aspect of space weather.

"They were among those … out driving their tractors, trying to do precision action with their GPS-guided tractors," Dahl said. "They're supposed to be accurate within a centimeter. They were off by 10 feet. It was taking them in circles, doing weird things."NOAA’S NEWEST GOES SATELLITE LAUNCHING DURING BUSY SEVERE WEATHER SEASON, SPACE WEATHERSpring is the planting season for many crops harvested in the fall, including corn, soybean, wheat and cotton.

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