Powerful Magnetic Storm Hits Russia's Altai Region
A powerful G4-class geomagnetic storm hit the Altai region on January 20, according to solar researchers. The magnetosphere is expected to remain disturbed through January 21.
Jan 20, 2026 0
The skyline of the city of Barnaul, the capital of the Altai region in southwestern Siberia.
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A powerful magnetic storm erupted in the Altai region on January 20, reported the Laboratory for Solar Astronomy of the Institute of Space Research and the Institute of Solar-Terrestrial Physics.
Data charts indicate continued disturbances in Earth«s magnetosphere following the storm.
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The magnetosphere entered a disturbed state at 6:00 a.m. local time, and by around 7:00 a.m., a full-blown magnetic storm had erupted, approaching a G4 level. In the classification scale, this is the second-highest level of geomagnetic storm strength.
By 11:00 a.m., the environmental fluctuations became less significant. However, the magnetic field in the region will remain unstable throughout the day, with an intensity level close to G3 (a strong storm) persisting until tomorrow morning.
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