Solar storm disrupts US GPS accuracy by over 10 meters

A severe solar storm occurring in November 2025 has caused significant disruptions to Global Positioning System (GPS) navigation, particularly in the United States. The storm, categorized as a G4 level by the NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC), was triggered by coronal mass ejections (CMEs) that interacted with Earth’s magnetic field.

These geomagnetic disturbances have impacted critical technological infrastructures, including satellite operations, high-frequency radio communications, and GPS-based timing and positioning systems. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) confirmed that the intensity of the storm on November 11-12, 2025, posed a high risk to signal accuracy.

The disruption occurs because geomagnetic storms alter the ionosphere, distorting the path of satellite signals. In several affected areas of the U.S., horizontal positioning errors in GPS systems have been reported to exceed 10 meters. This inaccuracy affects various professional sectors, including aviation, maritime navigation, precision agriculture, drilling operations, and drone technology.