USA, Colorado, Boulder: The sun has released a powerful solar radiation storm, the strongest in more than 20 years, likely to produce vivid auroras and disrupt satellite-based systems. Classified as S4 on a five-level severity scale, the storm is being monitored by the National Weather Service’s Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC).
“This is the largest solar radiation storm in over 20 years,” SWPC said, noting the last S4 storm occurred in October 2003. Such storms primarily affect satellite operations, aviation, and space missions, including astronauts on the International Space Station. Airlines, NASA, the FAA, and other operators have been alerted to prepare for heightened radiation.
The storm stems from an X-class solar flare and an associated coronal mass ejection, which release high-energy charged particles toward Earth. These particles can interfere with satellite navigation, communications, and, in extreme cases, power grids. Previous geomagnetic events, such as May 2024, disrupted GPS-dependent systems like precision farming but did not cause widespread outages.
Auroras are expected across much of the northern United States, potentially visible as far south as Alabama and northern California. Clear skies in parts of the Midwest and Pacific Northwest will offer optimal viewing conditions. Auroras appear in short 20-minute bursts known as substorms, temporarily extending visibility further south. Even when not visible to the naked eye, cameras and smartphones can detect the phenomenon.
Solar physicists warn that additional eruptions from active sunspot regions over the next week could produce further Earth-directed storms, reinforcing the need for monitoring satellites, aviation routes, and power infrastructure.
Source: East Idaho News
