Solar Storm: Strongest Geomagnetic Storm in Six Years to Hit Earth: (Credit: NASA/Solar Dynamics Observatory/Getty Images) Earth will experience its strongest geomagnetic storm in six years today, but the radiation is expected to cause only minor problems with satellites, the power grid and navigation devices. “Operators are surely seeing a greater number of errors on...

By Alyssa Newcomb

Jan 24, 2012 6:00am

Solar Storm: Strongest Geomagnetic Storm in Six Years to Hit Earth

Credit: NASA/SDO and the AIA Consortium/Edited by J. MajorThis SDO image (AIA 193) shows an M9-class solar flare erupting on the Sun's northeastern hemisphere at 03:49 UT on Jan. 23, 2012... just 4 days after a previous strong CME that sparked aurora around the world on the 22nd. More geomagnetic activity is expected for the 24th.

Earth will experience its strongest geomagnetic storm in six years today, but the radiation is expected to cause only minor problems with satellites, the power grid and navigation devices.

“Operators are surely seeing a greater number of errors on their system that are causing them to work a bit harder, but we’re not expecting satellites to stop,” Douglas Biesecker, a physicist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, told ABCNews.com.

The storm is forecasted to be a G-2 or G-3 on NOAA’s ascending five-point scale.

Biesecker said people should not worry about harmful radiation.

“The magnetic field around Earth is protecting us. That’s one of the great things about being on Earth,” he said.

The average person won’t be affected by the radiation unless they’re taking a flight with a polar route.

“Airlines will divert those flights because high frequency communications will be impacted,” he said.

The storm was set off by a chain of events Sunday evening. A moderate solar flare erupted on the sun, which occurs tens of thousands of times every solar cycle, Biesecker said. The solar flare was associated with a coronal mass ejection, which is also a frequent occurrence. However, this particular one was big and sent a cloud of plasma with a magnetic field hurdling toward Earth at 4 million mph.

Snowmobile Trail Conditions January 24, 2012 Update

January 24, 2012 Update Use extreme caution. Watch for ice and water.    Pittsburg- Trails are 100% open no new snow on a snow covered icy base. Grooming is ongoing, and conditions range from moderate to great. Watch for water bars, and rocks South of town and there could still be some problem areas and some areas are still closed and are posted as such. Please pay attention to all signage!  There are still logging operations going on. Perry Stream Rd is closed to snowmobile traffic and stay on the side of Magalloway Rd.; some shared roads and are posted 10 mph. Enforcement is Patrolling,  Lakes are still considered to be unsafe! For more details go to www.pittsburgridgerunners.org Colebrook- Extremely icy with standing water and thin to no base in lower elevations. Higher elevations have poor to fair riding. Watch for ice on bridges. Corr 3A closed from Colebrook to West Stewartstown. Gates to town on 18 are open at this time, but could close due to current weather. Please ride with utmost caution. Stratford- 100% open no new snow on a 1-4" base. Trails are groomed and riding is moderate. Stratford Bog area riding is okay. Potato Hill trail is closed due to logging. Use caution logging at jct of Corr 3 and 7. Watch for water bars. Groveton/Nash Stream- 80% Open no new snow on a 2-6" base. Trails are groomed and riding is marginal to good. 5 South Temporarily Closed. Diamond Pond/Coleman State Park- 100% open no new snow on a 4-6" base. Trails are groomed and conditions are good to great.. Several logging operations going on. Lake ice is marginal. Due to Furnace issues the bath house at Coleman is temporarily closed. Warming hut open Saturday and Sunday. Gas pumps open 24/7. For more details go to www.swiftdiamondriders.com Errol- 100% open no new snow on a 1-3" base. Trails are groomed and riding is moderate to good. Use Caution. Cambridge- 100% open.  no new snow on a 2" base trails are groomed and riding is moderate to good. Milan- 100% open. no new snow on a 2" base. Trails are groomed and riding is moderate to good. Berlin- 100% open no new snow on a 2-6" base.  Some trails are not groomed and riding is moderate to good. For more details, go to www.whitemtridgerunners.com Berlin/Success- 100% open no new snow on a 1-2" base. Trails are groomed and riding is moderate. Gorham area- 60% open. no new snow on a 0-2" base. Trails are groomed and riding is marginal. Franconia Notch- 100 % open. 0" new snow on a 2-4" base. Trails are groomed and riding is moderate. Corr 11 North of Notch is not groomed and riding is marginal. Campton/Thornton- 100% open. No new snow 4-5" base. Trails are packed and riding is marginal to moderate. Corr 11 Rail line not groomed use caution. Bear Notch- 100 % open 1-2" new snow on a 4-8" base. Trails are groomed. Riding is good to great. RR tracks are open but not groomed. Watch for mushers and skiers. Conway/ Chatham- 50% open no new snow on a 4-8" base. Trails are not groomed and riding is marginal. Open water bars and icy base. RR Tracks south exposed. Use Caution. Ossipee- 50% open. No new snow on a 1-2" base. Trails are not groomed and riding is marginal. Moultonboro- 50% open. No new snow 1-2"base. Riding is poor. Wakefield- 50% open No new snow on a 1-2" base. Trails are not groomed and riding is poor. Use caution RR Tracks not covered. Pisgah State Park- 100% open 3-4" base. Trails are not groomed and riding is marginal. Watch for wet slushy areas. Pillsbury State Park- 100% open no new snow on a 3-4" base. Trails are not groomed and riding is marginal. Riding is not recommended at this time. Sullivan- 3-4" base. Trails are not groomed and riding is marginal. Expect bare and thin spots. Andover- no new snow on a 3-4" base Trails are not groomed and riding is marginal Rail Lines: Northern: 100% open. 3-4" base. Not groomed and riding is marginal to moderate. Ashuelot: 0-2" base. Not groomed and riding is marginal. Caution Gates Closed. Fort Hill:  0-2" base. Not groomed and riding is marginal. Caution Gate Closed. Shugah River: 3-4" base. Trail is not groomed, hard base and some thin areas riding is marginal Concord to Lincoln:  0-3" base. Not groomed, rails exposed. Riding is not recommended Additional Resources and Information Please be safe and ride with caution. Respect our landowners. Watch speeds and stay to the right. For more information contact brenda.drouin@dred.state.nh.us. Newly Added: 2012 NH Snowmobile Corridor Map  (For a printed map contact NHSA or the Bureau of Trails) Snowmobile Trail Conditions Reports Snowmobile Club Information Snowmobile User Information Snow Depth Map NH Weather Radar

Ex-Penn State coach Joe Paterno dead at 85

(CBS/AP)  

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. - Joe Paterno, who racked up more wins than anyone else in major college football but was fired from Penn State amid a child sex abuse scandal has died. He was 85.

His family released a statement Sunday morning to announce his death.

Paterno's son Scott announced Nov. 18 that his father was being treated for lung cancer, which was diagnosed in mid-November during a follow-up visit for a bronchial illness.

The storied career of "JoePa" included 409 wins in 46 seasons and two national championships.

But his reputation for success with honor was shattered when a former assistant was charged with molesting 10 boys during a 15-year span, including some in the Penn State athletic complex.

Critics said Paterno should have done more to stop it. He was fired Nov. 9.

In all, Paterno guided five teams to unbeaten, untied seasons.

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Joe Paterno, 1926-2012

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The winningest major college football coach of all time, Paterno was diagnosed shortly after Penn State's Board of Trustees ousted him Nov. 9 in the aftermath of the child sex abuse charges against former assistant Jerry Sandusky. Paterno's been getting treatment since, and his health problems were worsened when he broke his pelvis — an injury that first cropped up when he was accidentally hit in preseason practice last year.

"Over the last few days Joe Paterno has experienced further health complications," family spokesman Dan McGinn said in a brief statement Saturday to The Associated Press. "His doctors have now characterized his status as serious.

"His family will have no comment on the situation and asks that their privacy be respected during this difficult time," he said.

Paterno's sons Scott and Jay both took to Twitter Saturday night to refute reports that their father had died.

Wrote Jay Paterno: "I appreciate the support (and) prayers. Joe is continuing to fight."

Meanwhile, about 200 students and townspeople gathered Saturday night in State College at a statue of Paterno.

Some brought candles, while others held up their smart phones to take photos of the scene. The mood was somber, with no chanting or shouting.

Jay Paterno tweeted, "Drove by students at the Joe statue. Just told my Dad about all the love & support—inspiring him."

The statue is just outside a gate at Beaver Stadium.

The 85-year-old Paterno has been in the hospital since Jan. 13 for observation for what his family had called minor complications from his cancer treatments. Not long before that, he conducted his only interview since losing his job, with The Washington Post. Paterno was described as frail then and wearing a wig. The second half of the two-day interview was conducted by his bedside.

FULL STORY

UPDATE: Newt Gingrich has won the South Carolina Republican presidential primary.

BREAKING: Newt Gingrich has won the South Carolina Republican presidential primary.
Updated 7:36 p.m. Eastern Time

Newt Gingrich has defeated Mitt Romney in the South Carolina Republican primary, CBS News is projecting from analysis based on exit polls and early vote totals. Rick Santorum and Ron Paul are battling for third place.

"Thank you South Carolina!" Gingrich tweeted as CBS News and other news outlets projected his victory. 

Gingrich's victory ends Romney's hopes of effectively wrapping up the GOP presidential nomination by the end of the month - and breaths new life into Gingrich's campaign ahead of the Florida primary on January 31. South Carolina has voted for the candidate who went on to with the GOP nomination in every primary since 1980. 

Live South Carolina election results

Gingrich's win was due in large part to his strong performance in two debates in the state this week. Nearly two in three GOP primary voters said the debates played an important role in their decision, and more than half (53 percent) made up their minds in the last few days, according to exit poll data.

Among these late-deciders, Gingrich was the clear favorite: 45 percent backed him, compared to 24 percent for Romney and 19 percent for Rick Santorum. And among the 64 percent who said the debates were an important factor, 50 percent backed Gingrich, while just 23 percent were backing Romney.  FULL STORY

UPDATE: Reports of Joe Paterno's death refuted by family

Penn State student website Onward State has reported that Penn State players were notified of longtime head coach Joe Paterno's passing via email, and CBSSports.com went on this report. Paterno, 85, had been receiving chemotherapy as part of his treatment for lung cancer.

However, Paterno family spokesperson Dan McGinn told a New York Times reporter that the report of Paterno's demise is "absolutely not true," and Jay Paterno tweeted that his father "continues to fight." Onward State has since retracted their report.


Paterno was the head coach of Penn State for 46 seasons before being fired in November as his role in the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse scandal came under greater scrutiny. Combined with the time he spent as an assistant, Paterno spent a total of 61 years on the Penn State sidelines. He left behind a legacy that, on the field of play, was unparalleled in Division I football. Paterno holds the all-time Division I record for football coaching wins with a 409-136-3 record, and he won two national championships while going undefeated in five different seasons.


http://www.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/24156338/34497800