An increase in geomagnetic activity is observed at the beginning of 2026, even surpassing last year's record figures.
According to Oxu.Az, scientists from the Space Research Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences have paid attention to this disturbing trend.
In their opinion, this may indicate a new maximum of magnetic storms.
According to the information, in the first 13 days of the year, magnetic fluctuations and storms were recorded at 62%. For comparison, during the whole year of 2025, which has already become a record in the last 10-20 years, this indicator was only 46%. Researchers emphasize that it is correct to base global conclusions on two weeks, but the current pace suggests that last year's records may be broken.
Experts associate the paradoxical increase in the number of storms against the background of decreased solar activity with the abnormally large number of coronal holes on the Sun. These holes are the source of solar wind fluctuations, which in turn cause geomagnetic storms on Earth. No decreasing trend in the number of these holes has been observed yet.
Nevertheless, the current indicators are still very far from absolute historical maxima. For example, in 2003, the most active year of the century, the magnetosphere experienced fluctuations or storms on 272 out of 365 days, or 72%. The actual number of quiet days at that time was only 93.
