A rare X5.1 flare on Nov. 11 drove radiation at flight level to 10× normal, the highest in nearly 20 years.
A huge X5.1 flare on Nov 11, 2025 caused a rare radiation spike, raising flight exposure tenfold
Photo Credit: NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center
Recently, the level of radiation was the highest that researchers found in nearly 20 years due to a mighty solar flare. On November 11, the Sun released an X5.1 explosion by sunspot AR4274, which hurled the high-speed protons and other particles toward Earth. This caused a ground-level enhancement (GLE), which increased radiation even in the altitudes of flights. As an example, sensors discovered that at 40,000 ft radiation was 10 times the normal background.
According to a Space.com report, an X5.1 solar flare erupted from sunspot AR427 on Nov. 11, 2025. It was the strongest flare of 2025 and unusually rich in high-speed protons. Radiation at flight level (~12 km) briefly shot up to roughly 10 times normal.
Though brief, the extra dose approached official safety limits. Experts say even stronger flares could disrupt aircraft systems, and researchers note that this storm posed no immediate health hazard, though a much larger event could threaten avionics and communications.
Solar flares are brushes of bright radiation and charged particles of the atmosphere of the Sun. They take place when the magnetic fields surrounding the sunspots realign, and this releases energy similar to billions of nuclear bombs. Solar flares may be small C-class or big X-class.
The most intense flares eject jolts of X-rays and high-speed protons to Earth in a matter of minutes, which may disrupt radio communications and increase the amount of radiation in the atmosphere. Rarely, an X-class flare produces sufficient energetic protons to cause a ground-level enhancement (GLE), temporarily spiking the radiation even in the high airflight levels.
Catch the latest from the Consumer Electronics Show on Gadgets 360, at our CES 2026 hub.