I don't know how much the topic is known here, but I decided to bring it up either way.
Now that we are in 2013, our sun is gonna reach it's cyclical peak once again when it comes to levels of activity. This happens like around 11 years on average, but for a long time I've seen many a place noting how in this year, the activity may rise to the point that the solar storms released may become too strong.
While said levels would still be harmless to us, what's dangerous is their effect on our technology. Back in 1859 the storm was so strong it dealt quite some damage to the telegraph lines of North America and Europe. If such a storm where to hit us now, it's effects would undoubtedly be worse considering how much more things rely on electricity in this day and age.
So what do you guys think? That it could happen? That it will? What consequences would bring to civilization as a whole in the worst-case scenario? Got something else to add about? Perhaps even correcting something I may have gotten wrong up there or just to comment on the topic?