Powerful Solar Flare on way to Earth

A powerful solar flare flashed on an Earth-facing section of the sun.
The flare was complemented by the release of superhot plasma.  A coronal mass ejection is expected to follow and  reach earth later this week, which could cause disturbances of communication and power grids.
The flare was unleashed on Wednesday and is  estimated at X1.6, placing  it in the strongest “extreme class” of solar flares.

Fortunately, most of it is expected to pass north of Earth, causing a only  week solar storm. Power grids will possibly experience fluctuations, as the plasma would affect the planetary magnetic field, but it poses little danger to those on earth or to anyone in the International Space Station.
On a positive note, the space weather events are likely to trigger colourful aurora borealis!

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Image Credit: NASA
"Extreme solar storm approaches Earth." RT. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Sept. 2014.