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Powerful Solar Storm Delivers Rare Ground-Level Event and Auroras Across Germany

Space‑weather agencies warn of possible navigation and radio disruptions during continued elevated activity.

Overview

  • Lights were photographed from the Baltic to Bavaria, with DWD webcams in the Alps capturing displays between 4:00 and 5:00 a.m. local time early Wednesday.
  • Helmholtz researchers reported very high geomagnetic disturbance with Kp values around 8.7 and 8.3, and global instruments detected a Ground Level Event that experts say occurs only once or twice per solar cycle.
  • NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center forecast geomagnetic activity from Nov. 11–13 (G2, then G3, then G1) tied to multiple coronal mass ejections and a strong flare.
  • DLR and ESA cautioned about potential impacts on GNSS and HF radio, with ESA noting signal interruptions in sunlit regions during the event, though widespread infrastructure failures were not reported.
  • Experts say further aurora are possible over the next two nights, with visibility hinging on clear, dark skies; observers are advised to look north and consider smartphone night modes to capture faint displays.