X-class solar flare hit Earth causing sunlit-side shortwave blackout

Technology Apr 24, 2026

A super-strong X-class solar flare hit Earth on April 24, 2026, causing a shortwave radio blackout across the sunlit side of the planet.
These flares are the most intense type, and this one sent a burst of energy that messed with our atmosphere, specifically boosting a layer that blocks radio waves instead of bouncing them back.

Long-distance radio outages and storm risk

For a while, pilots, sailors, and emergency services lost their long-distance radio connections, some for just minutes, others for nearly an hour.
big flares like this can also trigger geomagnetic storms in the days after, which could mess with satellites, GPS, or even power grids if another coronal mass ejection hits.