High-energy proton levels near earth have been 100,000 times normal following the eruption of a solar flare at 2330 GMT (6:30 PM EST) Wednesday, November 8th. The S3- to S4-class radiation storm is the 4th largest since 1976 and could affect the Net. Earth-orbiting satellites are expected to experience problems and, until the storm abates, astronauts will be forced to stay in their crafts. Forecasters estimate a 25 percent chance of severe geomagnetic disturbances at middle latitudes when the coronal mass ejection hits Earth's magnetosphere Friday or Saturday.

For ongoing information, check spaceweather.com. To read a story about the storm, click msnbc.com.