Geomagnetic storm today
Geomagnetic storms happen when a burst of solar wind or a coronal mass ejection shakes Earth's magnetic field. They bring the aurora much farther south than usual.
Right now: no geomagnetic storm is in progress (NOAA G scale: none). The highest Kp in NOAA's 3-day forecast is 4.00, below storm level. Built October 25, 2026; the alerts below refresh live.
Latest NOAA watches, warnings and alerts
- Oct 23, 7:55 PM UTC: ALERT: Geomagnetic K-index of 4
- Oct 23, 7:27 PM UTC: WARNING: Geomagnetic K-index of 4 expected
- Oct 22, 8:21 PM UTC: EXTENDED WARNING: Geomagnetic K-index of 4 expected
- Oct 22, 4:48 PM UTC: EXTENDED WARNING: Geomagnetic K-index of 4 expected
- Oct 22, 2:24 PM UTC: EXTENDED WARNING: Geomagnetic K-index of 4 expected
- Oct 22, 5:32 AM UTC: EXTENDED WARNING: Geomagnetic K-index of 4 expected
- Oct 22, 12:03 AM UTC: ALERT: Geomagnetic K-index of 5
- Oct 21, 10:28 PM UTC: WARNING: Geomagnetic K-index of 5 expected
- Oct 21, 9:30 PM UTC: ALERT: Geomagnetic K-index of 4
- Oct 21, 4:17 PM UTC: WARNING: Geomagnetic K-index of 4 expected
- Oct 21, 4:29 AM UTC: ALERT: Geomagnetic K-index of 4
- Oct 21, 2:05 AM UTC: WARNING: Geomagnetic K-index of 4 expected
Shortened from the NOAA SWPC alert feed: geomagnetic K-index watches (WATA), warnings (WARK) and alerts (ALTK), and storm summaries. Official wording on swpc.noaa.gov.
Storm levels and the aurora
| Level | Kp | How often (NOAA, per 11-year solar cycle) | Aurora reaches about |
|---|---|---|---|
| G1 minor | 5 | 1,700 events (about 900 days) | northern Michigan, Maine |
| G2 moderate | 6 | 600 events (about 360 days) | New York, Idaho |
| G3 strong | 7 | 200 events (about 130 days) | Illinois, Oregon |
| G4 severe | 8 | 100 events (about 60 days) | Alabama, northern California |
| G5 extreme | 9 | 4 events (about 4 days) | Florida, southern Texas |
Recent big storms
- May 10-11, 2024 (G5): the strongest storm in more than 20 years; the aurora was photographed across the southern US.
- October 10-11, 2024 (G4): widely seen across the northern half of the US and photographed much farther south.
Source: NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center: alerts feed, NOAA space weather scales (public domain). Unofficial summary; not for operational decisions.
Page built: October 25, 2026.