The first magnetic storm of 2026 occurred

The first magnetic storm of 2026 began on Earth. The event was recorded on January 2 at around 11:00 PM Moscow time and, as is typical for this type of event, is planetary in nature. The storm forecast had been formed the day before—geomagnetic indices rose in response to the arrival of plasma ejected into interplanetary space by the M7.1 flare that occurred on December 31, just before midnight. Thus, an echo of solar events from the previous year reached Earth.

The first magnetic storm of 2026 didn't take long to arrive—only about two days. However, the previous year, 2025, began even more turbulently—a G4 storm (level 4 on a 5-point scale) was recorded on January 1, which ultimately became one of the strongest of the entire year. This time, January began with a significantly more moderate event: the current level is G1 (minimum), with a forecast for a possible increase to G2. Last year, however, was exceptionally active in terms of geomagnetic events, breaking 10-year and, in some cases, 20-year records. The New Year wasn't expected to be much easier, and such an early start adds weight to that scenario.