Sun Erupts with Powerful X4 Flare from Active Region AR4274
On Nov. 14 the Sun emitted an intense X4-class solar flare from sunspot region AR4274, marking the second-strongest solar eruption recorded so far in 2025. The flare peaked at 3:30 a.m. EST (08:30 GMT), according to NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center, and came days after an unprecedented X5-class event from the same hyperactive region.
Radio Blackouts and Immediate Impact
The burst produced a strong R3-level radio blackout across the sunlit hemisphere, with the most severe communication disruptions reported over central and eastern Africa. Because solar flares emit bursts of electromagnetic radiation that travel at light speed, their effects on the ionosphere and high-frequency (HF) radio propagation are essentially immediate.
CME, Limb Position, and Forecast
The flare was accompanied by a coronal mass ejection (CME). However, AR4274 was positioned near the Sun's western limb — the apparent edge of the solar disk as seen from Earth — meaning any CME launched at the time is less likely to be directly Earth-directed. Space weather forecasters are monitoring coronagraph imagery to determine whether any portion of the CME could graze Earth and produce a weaker geomagnetic response in the coming days.
Key point: A limb-origin CME reduces the chance of a strong geomagnetic storm at Earth, but glancing blows are still possible and are being tracked.
What Solar Flare Classes Mean
Solar flares are classified by X-ray brightness in five primary categories: A, B, C, M and X. Each letter denotes roughly a tenfold increase in energy output over the previous class. X-class flares are the most intense; the numeric suffix (for example, X4 or X5) gives a finer measure of strength within that class.
Practical Implications
Because the electromagnetic pulse from a flare reaches Earth in about eight minutes, long-range HF radio communications, aviation and maritime services using affected frequencies can experience immediate disruption on the sunlit side of the planet. Operators and affected services in Africa and neighboring regions should monitor official space weather alerts and advisories from NOAA, their national meteorological services, and other space weather centers.
Bottom line: The Sun’s AR4274 has produced another major eruption — a dramatic "parting shot" as the region rotates toward the solar limb. While a major geomagnetic hit to Earth is less likely due to the spot’s limbward location, forecasters continue to watch CME data for any possible impacts.
