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Earth Endures Prolonged Solar Storm
14 Mar
Summary
- A prolonged magnetic storm has affected Earth for over nine hours.
- The storm is caused by increased solar wind speed from a coronal hole.
- This is the first significant magnetic storm of March 2026.
A significant planetary magnetic storm began around midnight Moscow time on March 14, 2026, and has persisted for over nine hours. The storm's intensity has remained consistently at a G1.7 level, indicating a moderate event throughout its duration.
This phenomenon is attributed to a substantial increase in the speed of the solar wind reaching Earth. The accelerated solar wind is a result of a coronal hole identified on the Sun's surface. This event represents the first major magnetic storm observed in March 2026, following a brief, internally generated disturbance on March 4.
Last year, 2025, was the most geomagnetically active in a decade, with 19% of such events recorded. The current trend suggests that 2026 is on track to surpass previous records for geomagnetic activity.
