Rare Northern Lights Dazzle Switzerland After Strongest Solar Storm in 20 Years
A powerful G4-level geomagnetic storm brought the aurora borealis to Swiss skies, a rare natural spectacle particularly visible at higher altitudes, while also posing potential risks to power grids and satellites.

Key Takeaways
- A G4-level geomagnetic storm hit Earth on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, causing rare auroras in Switzerland.
- This solar storm is classified as the strongest geomagnetic event since the historic 'Halloween solar storm' of 2003.
- Visibility of the Northern Lights was heavily dependent on altitude due to high fog on the Central Plateau.
- The storm was triggered by a powerful solar flare emitting particles that disrupted Earth's magnetic field.
By The Numbers
They Said
"The current solar storm was the strongest since 2003."
"Particles emitted during this can disrupt the Earth’s magnetic field, which, in addition to the Northern Lights, can also cause disruption to radio communications."