Re:yellow alert... (Score 2)

The last solar maximum (1989) brought down Hydro-Quebec and the entire power grid in eastern canada ... affected the U.S. as well since a lot of Hydro-Quebec's power goes to New York City

The CME also affects SatNav and can throw readings off by miles and miles.

I used this fact in the flimsy plot of SlateWiper, a lurid technothriller I wrote several years ago that is now published on FatBrain (Actually they have been re-named Mighty Words) at http://www1.fatbrain.com/asp/bookinfo/bookinfo.asp ?theisbn=EB00001047