A series of three massive explosions on the Sun have sent waves of charged plasma racing toward Earth, and scientists are warning that geomagnetic storms could soon follow — possibly causing radio blackouts, GPS issues, and even spectacular auroras lighting up the night sky.
The Sun’s active region AR4274 unleashed two powerful X-class flares on November 9 and 10, following another eruption just days earlier on November 7. Each flare produced a coronal mass ejection (CME) — massive clouds of solar plasma that can disrupt Earth’s magnetic field upon impact.
The X1.7-class flare on November 9 peaked at 09:30 UTC, causing a strong (R3) radio blackout across parts of the planet. Scientists expect the resulting CME to hit Earth between November 11 and 12, while earlier eruptions are already on course to graze our planet.
NOAA Issues Storm Alerts
The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has issued geomagnetic storm warnings, predicting G1-level conditions on November 10 and G2-level storms between November 11–12. These events could cause communication disruptions, satellite issues, and visible auroras as far south as the northern U.S. and Europe.
A third X1.2-class flare erupted on November 10, sending yet another CME toward Earth. Early satellite data from NASA’s SOHO and STEREO indicate that multiple CMEs may merge, intensifying their impact when they reach Earth around November 12.
X-class solar flares are the most powerful explosions the Sun produces. While they create breathtaking auroras, they can also interfere with radio communications, satellites, and power grids.
Experts say that if this heightened solar activity continues, we could be entering one of the most active space weather periods in years — with both beauty and danger lighting up our skies.
