Story perspectives

Two X-Class Solar Flares Blackout Australia, Pacific

4/25/2026

Summary

Story summary

Two X-class solar flares from AR4419 on April 23-24 2026 caused radio blackouts over Australia and the Pacific.
The X2.4 flare peaked at 9:07 p.m. EDT on April 23 (0107 GMT April 24) and X2.5 flare at 4:13 a.m. EDT on April 24 (0814 GMT).
Each eruption launched a coronal mass ejection traveling 6 million miles per hour, prompting models of a Earth impact.
Ryan French said the flares were the strongest in the past 78 days but rank outside top 50 on record.

1 of 1

Story summary

Two X-class solar flares from AR4419 on April 23-24 2026 caused radio blackouts over Australia and the Pacific.
The X2.4 flare peaked at 9:07 p.m. EDT on April 23 (0107 GMT April 24) and X2.5 flare at 4:13 a.m. EDT on April 24 (0814 GMT).
Each eruption launched a coronal mass ejection traveling 6 million miles per hour, prompting models of a Earth impact.
Ryan French said the flares were the strongest in the past 78 days but rank outside top 50 on record.