Severe geomagnetic storm threatened power grids and communications worldwide Nov 12, 2025
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A powerful geomagnetic storm was sweeping toward Earth Wednesday Nov 12, 2025, prompting federal agencies to issue urgent warnings about potential disruptions to power grids, satellite systems, and GPS navigation across large portions of the United States, Europe and many other parts of the world.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Space Weather Prediction Center has classified the incoming solar event as a G4-level geomagnetic storm, one of the most intense categories on its five-point scale. The warning affects 11 states north of the 45th parallel, including Oregon, Idaho, Montana, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine.
⚠️ What’s Causing the Storm?
The disturbance is driven by a rare “cannibal coronal mass ejection (CME)”—a phenomenon where multiple solar eruptions merge into a single, fast-moving plasma wave. This merged CME is expected to slam into Earth’s magnetosphere, unleashing charged particles and magnetic fields that can interfere with electrical systems and communications.
Sky News reports that the storm could cause radio blackouts, GPS errors, and satellite drag, affecting everything from aviation to emergency services. The upper atmosphere may experience heating and density shifts, altering the path of radio signals and increasing risks for low-Earth orbit satellites.
Geomagnetic storms can disrupt communications, increase fire risks, and complicate emergency response operations for firefighters.
While space weather may seem distant from ground-level hazards, severe geomagnetic storms—like the current G4-level event—can have tangible consequences for fire services. These include degraded radio systems, GPS errors, and even increased fire ignition risks due to electrical surges and infrastructure failures.
🔥 How Firefighters Cou;d be Affected
- Radio Communication Failures High-frequency (HF) and very high-frequency (VHF) radios used by fire crews can experience blackouts or interference during geomagnetic storms. This can hinder coordination between units, especially in rural or mountainous areas where radio is the primary link.
- GPS and Navigation Errors Fire engines, aerial units, and command vehicles often rely on GPS for routing and incident mapping. Geomagnetic storms can cause location drift, signal loss, or inaccurate positioning, delaying response times and complicating logistics.
- Increased Fire Risk from Infrastructure According to CTIF, geomagnetically induced currents (GICs) can overload transformers and power lines, potentially sparking fires in electrical systems. Historical events like the 1859 Carrington Event saw telegraph wires ignite due to induced currents.
- Emergency Room Surges and Health Effects Some studies suggest geomagnetic storms may correlate with increased emergency room visits due to cardiovascular and neurological symptoms. This can indirectly affect fire services by increasing call volumes and stretching resources.
- Satellite and Drone Disruption Fire departments using drones or satellite imagery for wildfire monitoring may experience data loss or orientation errors during storms. This affects situational awareness and tactical planning.
🧭 Operational Implications
Fire services in high-latitude regions—such as Scandinavia, Canada, Russia and northern U.S. states—are especially vulnerable. Agencies are advised to:
- Test backup communication systems
- Use analog maps and routing when GPS fails
- Monitor transformer stations and electrical infrastructure
- Coordinate with power utilities and meteorological agencies during solar alerts
🔌 Power Grid at Risk
NOAA’s alert warns of widespread voltage control problems and the possibility that protective systems may mistakenly trip key assets from the grid. These geomagnetically induced currents (GICs) can overload transformers and disrupt long-distance transmission lines.
The Department of Energy has previously cautioned that aging infrastructure and rising energy demand—driven by climate stress and AI-powered data centers—make the grid more vulnerable to space weather events.
🌌 Auroras and Atmospheric Effects
While the storm poses serious risks, it may also produce spectacular aurora borealis displays visible as far south as Alabama. These northern lights are caused by solar particles colliding with Earth’s atmosphere, creating vivid curtains of green, red, and purple light.
🛰️ What Happens Next?
NOAA and the Space Weather Prediction Center will continue to monitor the storm’s progression and issue updates as needed. Agencies are advising utilities, aviation operators, and satellite providers to prepare for temporary outages and degraded performance.
Experts emphasize that while geomagnetic storms are natural phenomena, their impact on modern infrastructure is growing. As solar activity intensifies during the current solar cycle, resilience planning and early warning systems are becoming critical to national preparedness.
Europe Faces Communications Disruptions and Aurora Displays as Geomagnetic Storm Intensifies
The powerful geomagnetic storm triggered by a series of solar eruptions is impacting Europe and other parts of the world, causing widespread disruptions to communications, navigation systems, and satellite operations. The storm, classified as G4 (severe) on NOAA’s geomagnetic scale, follows the eruption of an X5.1-class solar flare—the strongest of 2025—originating from sunspot AR4274.
🌍 Europe: Blackouts and Infrastructure Risks
The flare struck the sunlit side of Earth early Tuesday, causing R3-level radio blackouts across Europe and Africa. High-frequency radio signals used in aviation, maritime operations, and emergency services were temporarily degraded, with some regions experiencing complete signal loss.
In the UK, the British Geological Survey (BGS) upgraded its geomagnetic forecast to the highest intensity level, warning that the storm could become the largest in over two decades. The event has already produced the strongest geoelectric field readings since records began in 2012, raising concerns about power grid stability and GPS accuracy.
🛰️ Satellite and Navigation Systems
The European Space Agency (ESA) is actively monitoring the storm, which may affect GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite Systems), satellite orbits, and surface charging. ESA reports that the storm could continue into November 13, depending on whether a third coronal mass ejection merges with the previous two.
These disruptions pose risks to aviation routing, maritime positioning, and emergency response coordination, especially in high-latitude regions such as Scandinavia, the UK, and northern Germany.
The Bureau of Meteorology in Australia and other agencies have issued aurora alerts, noting that the storm’s intensity could allow visibility as far south as central Europe.
🔍 Global Impact Beyond Europe
- Africa: Experienced radio blackouts similar to Europe due to its position on the sunlit side during the flare’s peak.
- Asia: ESA notes potential GNSS disruptions in eastern regions facing the sun during the flare.
- Australia: Southern regions are seeing aurora australis displays, with alerts issued for possible G5-level storm escalation.
As solar activity continues to peak during Solar Cycle 25, experts warn that space weather resilience must become a priority for governments and infrastructure operators worldwide.
Solar Cycle 25 Activity and Peak
- NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center NOAA confirms that Solar Cycle 25 is currently approaching its peak, with sunspot numbers and solar flare activity exceeding early predictions. Their Solar Cycle Progression dashboard shows a sharp rise in sunspot numbers and solar flux, indicating heightened solar activity through 2025 and into 2026.
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NASA Space News Reports that the X5.1-class solar flare from sunspot AR4274 on November 11, 2025, was the strongest of the year, triggering widespread radio blackouts and geomagnetic disturbances. This event is described as a culmination of an “extraordinary week” of solar activity, underscoring the intensity of the current solar maximum.
Illustration Credit: An imaginary image of Earth being severely affected by solar storms. Executed by MS CoPilot from a visual prompt by Bjorn Ulfsson, CTIF.
Read More:
- CTIF – The Silent Threat: Understanding the Risks of Fires from Geomagnetic Storms
- Lawyer Monthly – Solar Storm Warning: Phones & Power at Risk
https://www.esa.int/Space_Safety/Space_weather/ESA_actively_monitoring_severe_space_weather_event
https://nasaspacenews.com/2025/11/strongest-solar-flare-of-2025/
https://www.esa.int/Space_Safety/Space_weather/ESA_actively_monitoring_severe_space_weather_event
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-11-12/chance-of-aurora-as-peak-solar-activity-winds-down/105983750