Agencies and A News LIFE
Published January 20,2026
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A severe solar storm triggered by an extremely powerful eruption on the Sun has reached Earth.
Scientists said that between Monday evening and this morning, the northern lights could be visible even in regions where they are not normally seen. However, they warned that the storm could also cause disruptions to satellite-based communication networks and GPS systems.
The Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC), part of the US National Weather Service, classified the event as Level 4 on a five-point scale.
The SWPC said this is the strongest solar storm in the past 20 years, noting that a storm of comparable intensity was last recorded in October 2003.
According to officials, storms of this kind particularly affect space missions, aviation and satellite operations. During the 2003 storm, power outages were reported in Sweden, while transformers were damaged in South Africa.
Such storms also increase radiation risks for astronauts in low Earth orbit. The same risk applies to passenger aircraft flying along polar routes.
The SWPC has alerted airlines, NASA, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and power grid operators to take precautionary measures.
Scientists say further eruptions may occur in the coming days from an active sunspot region, and there is a high likelihood that these could also be directed toward Earth.
ANEWS
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