One of the strongest solar storms in years has engulfed Earth, but so far, no severe disruptions have been reported.

But scientists warn that things still can change as the storm shakes the planet’s magnetic field, which could also produce the colorful Northern Lights over the US. Early indications show that it is about 10 times stronger than the normal solar wind that hits Earth.

Scientists said the storm started with a massive solar flare Tuesday evening and grew as it raced outward from the Sun.

NASA handout image shows the Sun acquired by the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory on March 8, 2012.

Initially, scientists figured the storm would be the worst since 2006, but now it seems only as bad as storms that regularly hit the earth. North American utilities so far have not reported any problems.

A massive cloud of charged particles can disrupt utility grids, airline flights, satellite networks and GPS services, especially in northern areas.