[sinanju]

Me confused.

I thought these charged particles traveled at the speed of light. How could we see an ultraviolet flash 24 hours before the thing hits? Wouldn’t there be no warning at all?

[Sigurdrifta]

The “flash” (electromagnetic radiation) travels at the speed of light. The (charged) particles are slower. There should be some spectacular auroras in the next day or so.

[bigbob]

The actual charged particles are carried by the “solar wind” which moves much slower than the speed of light

[Doogle]

a satellite witnessed an ultraviolet flash from the massive solar eruption

[Crazieman]

The charged particles travel roughly 1000-3000km/sec depending on solar wind strength, as opposed to lightspeed at 300000km/sec

[Deaf Smith]

Think of it this way:

You're scouting a 600 ac wheat field at night for a poacher shooting deer on your property.
The poacher spots you in the Moon light from 500 yrds and takes a shot at you. You see the flash of the rifle and hit the ground...0.68 seconds later the crack of the bullet flies over head. 2.5 seconds after the flash you then heard the shot from the rifle.

*You promptly return fire at the fleeing poacher, leading him by two yards.