‘Cannibal’ Solar Storm Lights Up Skies Far South — Another CME Is Approaching; Power Grids and Satellites on Alert

‘Cannibal’ Solar Storm Sparks Rare Auroras, More Activity Expected

Brilliant auroras lit the skies Tuesday night, visible unusually far south — including Florida — after a series of intense solar eruptions pushed charged particles toward Earth. Forecasters warn that another coronal mass ejection (CME) is en route and could produce renewed auroral displays and heightened space‑weather impacts in the coming days.

Current storm status and risks

The National Weather Service’s Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) currently classifies conditions as G3 on the 1–5 geomagnetic scale, with a real possibility of escalation to G4 (severe). The British Geological Survey (BGS) has cautioned the event could intensify further and has not ruled out a G5 (extreme) storm.

“Our data suggests that this event could be one of the biggest storms we’ve seen in 20 years,” — Dr. Gemma Richardson, hazard specialist, British Geological Survey.

What made this storm unusual: the ‘cannibal’ effect

BGS scientists described Tuesday’s disturbance as a “cannibal storm.” Two CMEs left the Sun hours apart; the faster second CME overtook and merged with the earlier, slower one en route to Earth, amplifying the overall impact. CMEs are vast clouds of ionized gas (plasma) and magnetic field that can severely disturb Earth’s magnetosphere when directed our way.

Impacts on operations and infrastructure

Geomagnetic storms can disrupt satellite operations, radio communications, navigation (GPS), and power grids. The SWPC has notified U.S. power‑grid and satellite operators, and UK authorities are closely monitoring potential impacts. Large ground‑level electric fields induced by geomagnetic activity — measured as volts per kilometer — can force harmful currents through transformers and related equipment.

The BGS recorded an unusually large geoelectric field of 3.5 V/km in the Shetland Islands, a value the survey team said had not been seen in their records beginning in 2012. Such elevated values raise concern for transformer heating or failure if sustained across grid networks.

Spaceflight effects and launch delays

Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket, carrying NASA’s ESCAPADE twin‑satellite mission, was ready to launch but was postponed due to the heightened solar activity. Blue Origin said NASA delayed the attempt while assessing potential effects of the storm on the spacecraft.

Solar drivers and outlook

This week’s surge included three X‑class flares — the most powerful category — followed by several CMEs. Solar physicist Ryan French of the University of Colorado Boulder identified active region AR 14274 as the source. He warned the region still could produce more X‑class flares, though it is rotating away from direct Earth alignment, making future eruptions progressively less likely to be Earth‑directed.

“If a CME’s magnetic field is oriented opposite Earth’s, interactions intensify quickly and storm levels can spike — that rapid escalation is what forecasters observed Monday and Tuesday,” — Shawn Dahl, forecaster, SWPC.

Context and historical perspective

Scientists note the Sun follows an ~11‑year cycle; solar maximum peaked in October 2024, and although overall activity is entering a decay phase, the strongest flares often appear during this period. A G5 storm struck in May 2024, and prior to that the last G5 was in 2003 — a storm that caused power outages in Sweden and damaged transformers in South Africa. The 1859 Carrington Event remains the benchmark for the most extreme geomagnetic storm on record.

What observers should know

Forecasters expect the third CME to arrive Wednesday afternoon, likely producing renewed auroras visible across broad parts of the United States and in northern U.K. regions such as Scotland, northern England and Northern Ireland if skies are clear. Even when auroras are faint to the naked eye, camera sensors — including those in many smartphones — may capture the colors.

Bottom line: Space‑weather agencies worldwide are on alert. Operators of satellites, navigation systems and power grids are taking precautions, and skywatchers should remain attentive for more spectacular auroras as the next CME arrives.