Massive Solar Storm Hits Earth, Causes Auroras Worldwide and GPS Disruptions

A powerful solar storm struck Earth late Monday night, unleashing one of the most intense geomagnetic events in over a decade. The storm, which originated from a series of solar flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs) from the Sun's surface, has dazzled skywatchers with breathtaking auroras seen as far south as Texas, Italy, and even parts of northern India.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) classified the event as a G4-level storm, one step below the most severe on its five-tier scale. The solar activity has caused temporary blackouts in high-frequency radio communications and GPS positioning errors across parts of North America and Europe.

“This is one of the strongest solar storms we’ve observed since the 2003 Halloween storms,” said Dr. Angela Ramirez, a space weather scientist at NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center. “The auroras have been spectacular, but there’s also a real risk to satellites, aviation, and communications.”

Airlines have rerouted polar flights to avoid radio blackouts, while space agencies continue to monitor the impact on low-Earth orbit satellites. Some Starlink users also reported brief internet outages, although SpaceX has not confirmed whether these were related to the storm.

Astronomers say the Sun is currently approaching a period of peak solar activity known as solar maximum, expected to occur in 2025. This raises the chances of further geomagnetic storms in the months ahead.

For now, skywatchers are advised to keep their cameras ready as auroras may remain visible tonight and tomorrow in many regions usually untouched by such displays.

For updates and alerts, visit spaceweather.gov.