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It seems like Solar Cycle 25 still has some surprises in store with sudden high-level activity despite being "post-peak". An X1.9-class flare erupted on January 18 at 18:09 UTC from AR4341, classified as the strongest of the month, triggering an R3 radio blackout and followed by a fast coronal mass ejection (CME) traveling at around 1700 km/s toward Earth. This led to a severe S4 solar radiation storm on January 19 — the first such event since 2003 — posing risks to astronauts and polar flights, while producing vivid auroras visible globally.

The spikes in solar activity have influenced this month's seismic activity, amplified storm intensity, and contributed to atmospheric instabilities worldwide.

January 2026 saw extreme weather, including record snowfall in North America and unseasonal cold snaps in Europe, alongside devastating floods and landslides in Asia and Africa. Seismic activity included multiple magnitude 6+ earthquakes in Mexico, Japan, the Philippines, and Pakistan. Volcanic eruptions at Mayon and Merapi in the Philippines and Indonesia posed aviation risks, while severe storms like atmospheric rivers and cyclones caused widespread disruptions. Meteor fireballs were sighted across the U.S. and Europe,

Severe storms, including cyclones and tornadoes, caused destruction and power outages:
  • Storm Francis, Spain: Red alert for polar cold on January 7, with record lows of -17°C.
  • Storm Goretti, Northern Europe: Heavy snowfall in Germany on January 9.
  • Ex-Tropical Cyclone Koji, Australia: Crossed north Queensland on January 11, with 13 inches in six hours.
  • Central Java, Indonesia: Violent tornado on January 22 caused mayor destruction.
  • Storm Kristin, Spain: Hurricane-force winds on January 28 left areas in danger.
Heavy rains, floods, and landslides resulted in fatalities and evacuations across various regions:
  • North Sulawesi, Indonesia: Flash floods on January 5 killed at least 16 people.
  • Poções, Brazil: Heavy rain caused severe flooding on January 3.
  • Andalucia, Spain: Storm Francis brought floods and evacuations on January 5, with 10 inches of rain in seven hours.
Unseasonal weather, such as record snow and cold, disrupted transportation and daily activities:
  • Juneau, Alaska: 4 feet of snow in one day on January 1.
  • Oswego County, New York: 4 feet of snow in 24 hours on January 2.
  • Maunakea, Hawaii: Rare heavy snowfall up to 10 inches overnight on January 5.
  • Sea of Japan: Blizzard conditions on January 11 dumped 1.29 meters (4.2 feet) of snow.
  • Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula: Snow 'apocalypse' on January 14 shattered a 146-year record.
Seismic events and geological incidents led to damage and alerts:
  • Southern and Central Mexico: A magnitude 6.5 earthquake on January 2 rattled the region.
  • Japan: Magnitude 6.2 earthquake on January 6.
  • Baculin, Philippines: Magnitude 6.4 earthquake on January 7.
  • Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan: A shallow magnitude 5.8 earthquake on January 19 caused landslides.
  • Melbourne, Australia: Giant sinkhole opened in a sporting oval on January 6.
Other notable events included a mass stranding of 55 pilot whales in New Zealand on January 9 (6 dead), and wildfires raged in Patagonia, Argentina, on January 9, triggering the evacuation of thousands.

All this and more in our SOTT Earth Changes Summary for January 2026:


To understand what's going on, check out our book explaining how all these events are part of a natural climate shift, and why it is taking place now: Earth Changes and the Human-Cosmic Connection

Check out previous installments in this series - translated into multiple languages - here.