Solar Storms Knock GPS Off Course by Up to 33 Feet, a First for Scientists

In November 2025, Earth was struck by a series of powerful coronal mass ejections that slammed into the magnetosphere, delivering a rare burst of solar activity that surprised even seasoned space weather observers.

The geomagnetic disturbances caused widespread GPS positioning errors across the United States, with some locations experiencing drift of as much as 33?feet, far beyond the typical few?meter tolerance of modern navigation systems.

Researchers say they have never recorded such a pronounced and coherent GPS disruption linked to solar activity, marking the event as unprecedented in recent observational history.

The episode underscores the vulnerability of satellite?based services to space weather and highlights the need for improved forecasting and resilient navigation technologies. The findings were reported by ScienceAlert.