I'm a dedicated researcher, journalist, and editor at The Watchers. With over 20 years of experience in the media industry, I specialize in hard science news, focusing on extreme weather, seismic and volcanic activity, space weather, and astronomy, including near-Earth objects and planetary defense strategies. You can reach me at teo /at/ watchers.news.
Solar radiation storms are extreme space weather phenomena in which high-energy particles from the Sun reach near-Earth space, posing operational risks to satellites and aviation. The latest rare S4 – Severe event on January 19, 2026, is the strongest since 2003, providing an opportunity to explain what solar radiation storms are and why scientists monitor them from Earth’s orbit to surface detectors.
The impact of a full halo coronal mass ejection (CME) at Earth on January 19, 2026, drove geomagnetic activity to G4 – Severe levels, producing widespread aurora across Europe, Asia, and the United States.
A G4 – Severe solar radiation storm is in progress after ≥10 MeV proton flux exceeded 10 000 pfu at 18:10 UTC on January 19, 2026, following the X1.9 solar flare on January 18. As the associated full-halo coronal mass ejection approaches Earth, forecasters warn that a G4 – Severe geomagnetic storm is likely early on January 20.
A G4 – Severe or greater geomagnetic storm is forecast for early January 20, 2026, as a full-halo coronal mass ejection from the January 18 X1.9 solar flare approaches Earth. If G4 conditions materialize, auroral activity is expected to expand significantly equatorward, with visibility possible as far south as Alabama and northern California.
A strong and shallow earthquake registered by the USGS as M6.0 hit southeast of Loyalty Islands, New Caledonia at 13:02 UTC on January 19, 2026. The agency is reporting a depth of 10 km (6.2 miles). EMSC is reporting the same magnitude and depth.
A strong solar radiation storm (S3) is in progress after ≥10 MeV proton flux exceeded 1 000 pfu at 10:20 UTC on January 19, 2026. The event follows an X1.9 solar flare and full-halo coronal mass ejection that erupted on January 18. S3 – Strong solar radiation storms are relatively rare, occurring just a few times in one 11-year solar cycle.
Piton de la Fournaise volcano on La Réunion entered a new eruptive phase at 19:42 LT (16:42 UTC) on January 18, 2026, after a strong seismic crisis and rapid ground deformation. The eruption is effusive, producing lava flows from fissures on the northern flank inside the Enclos Fouqué caldera. This is the first eruption at Piton de la Fournaise since August 2023.
A shallow earthquake registered by the USGS as M5.6 (downgraded from M5.9) struck near Barishal, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan at 06:21 UTC on January 19, 2026. The agency is reporting a depth of 35 km (21.7 miles). EMSC is reporting M5.7 at a depth of 31 km (19.3 miles).
Following an X1.9 flare and associated full-halo coronal mass ejection (CME) late on January 18, 2026, the ≥10 MeV proton flux rose above 100 pfu early on January 19. The event reached S2 – Moderate solar radiation storm levels, prompting extended warnings for continued elevated radiation conditions through the rest of the day.
A long-duration X1.9 solar flare erupted from Active Region 4341 at 18:09 UTC on January 18, 2026. The event began at 17:27 and ended at 18:51 UTC. Coronagraph imagery indicates that a full halo coronal mass ejection (CME) was produced during the eruption. Given the location of the source region on the solar disk, the CME is considered likely to be at least partially Earth-directed, pending further analysis of its speed and magnetic structure.
