Geomagnetic Storm Disrupts Global Communications and Power Grids Overnight
WASHINGTON, D.C. — A severe geomagnetic storm struck Earth early Friday morning, causing widespread disruptions to satellite communications, GPS systems, and electrical power grids across multiple continents.
WHAT: A powerful geomagnetic storm, classified as a G4 event on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s five-point scale, impacted Earth’s magnetic field. The disturbance led to failures in high-frequency radio transmissions, intermittent GPS signal loss, and voltage fluctuations on power networks.
WHO: The event was monitored by the Space Weather Prediction Center in the United States and the European Space Agency. Affected parties included commercial airlines rerouting polar flights, telecommunications providers, and emergency services reporting communication delays.
WHEN: The storm began at approximately 0200 Greenwich Mean Time and persisted for over eight hours, with peak intensity recorded at 0430 GMT.
WHERE: The disruptions were most severe in northern latitudes, including regions of Canada, Scandinavia, and the northern United States. Reports of power grid irregularities were filed from Quebec to Norway.
WHY: The storm originated from a coronal mass ejection, or CME, released by the Sun earlier this week. The charged particles collided with Earth’s magnetosphere, triggering the geomagnetic disturbance.
Experts advise that further solar activity is possible in the coming days as the Sun remains in an active phase of its 11-year cycle.