An X-class flare, the first of 2014 peaked at 1:32 pm Eastern Standard Time on Tuesday, originating from the giant sunspot AR1944, as the sunspot moved midway through its 14-day earth-facing transit.

The flare, classified as a X1.2 flare, caused a radio blackout today and the NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center alerted that a Proton Event 10MeV Integral Flux that exceeded 100pfu had occurred that could potentially impact passengers and crews at high altitude with slightly increased radiation exposures.

The Center also posted a watch that continues until January 9th predicting a category G2 Geomagnetic Storm that will impact poleward of 55 degrees latitude with possible power grid fluctuations high frequency radio disruption as far as Alaska’s southern border on the panhandle and as far south as Unimak Pass in the western section of the state. The center also warns that power systems further north may experience voltage alarms through Thursday. The prediction was made after finding that the event produced a type II radio emission which is indicative of a Coronal Mass Ejection.

Auroras produced from this X-class event should be visible as far south as Washington state in the west and from Wisconsin to New york in the east.

X-class denotes the most intense flares, while the number provides more information about its strength. An X2 is twice as intense as an X1, an X3 is three times as intense, etc.