Solar Storms Pose Risks to Under-Prepared UK, Watchdog Says

The UK is not fully prepared for a severe space weather event that could disrupt power systems, air travel and mobile networks, causing billions of economic losses, a government watchdog found.

Most solar flares and space weather events are minor, but the risk of disruptions are growing as nations increasingly rely on power grids, satellites, GPS and radio communications. A geomagnetic storm in 2024 shifted thousands of satellites from their orbits, and a burst of radio waves from the sun in 2015 interfered with air traffic control radars across Europe.