Hurricane season has a new and unexpected member — and it’s swirling not in oceans, but high above the poles.
Introducing the space hurricane. Like its Earth-bound counterpart, it spins in massive spirals with a calm eye in the center. But instead of wind and rain, these atmospheric anomalies are composed of plasma — charged particles stirred by Earth’s magnetic field.
A groundbreaking study has now confirmed that space hurricanes behave similarly to geomagnetic storms. These swirling plasma storms can shake Earth’s magnetic field and scramble GPS signals, even under seemingly calm space weather conditions.
The study analyzed data from the first known space hurricane recorded in 2014. This event, previously underestimated, has been reclassified as a powerful electrodynamic storm. According to lead author Sheng Lu from Shandong University, the storm formed under quiet solar activity, making it all the more mysterious.
Originally detected through imagery from the U.S. Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP), the storm appeared as a giant spiral over the magnetic north pole. It had a visible eye and was faintly glowing with auroral light — but this was no ordinary aurora.
Two satellites flew through the storm minutes apart. DMSP F17 passed through the eye, while ESA’s Swarm B skimmed the edges. Both confirmed active, swirling plasma flows, sharp density changes, and strong upward electric currents — an electromagnetic mirror of tropical hurricanes.
To further understand its behavior, researchers tapped into data from the Canadian High Arctic Ionospheric Network (CHAIN). The results were surprising.
GPS signals passing through the storm’s outer boundary experienced phase scintillation, a twinkling effect caused by turbulent plasma disrupting radio transmissions. One GPS satellite, PRN 11, recorded a scintillation index of 0.81 — enough to cause serious positional errors.
Magnetometers in Greenland also detected localized magnetic field shifts of up to 400 nanoteslas — readings typically linked to minor geomagnetic storms.
“These disturbances are comparable in magnitude to those observed during geomagnetic storms,” the study notes.
What makes this discovery more concerning is that the 2014 space hurricane formed when the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) was aligned northward. This orientation usually prevents solar energy from penetrating Earth’s magnetosphere — making geomagnetic storms unlikely.
This suggests space hurricanes may form under conditions that standard space weather forecasting models overlook.
“Note to forecasters: Not all storms come from the sun,” warned Spaceweather.com in response to the findings.
Instead of the typical solar-driven entry points, energy from the solar wind appears to have infiltrated Earth’s magnetosphere through magnetic lobes in the polar region — a process known as lobe reconnection. This allowed for the formation of plasma flows and swirling electric currents right above the polar cap.
As GPS usage, satellite operations, and polar aviation increase, so too does our reliance on accurate space signal integrity. Recognizing and understanding high-latitude disturbances like space hurricanes becomes essential — especially as they remain invisible to traditional monitoring tools.
With this latest study, published in the July 2025 edition of Space Weather, scientists are now urging a reevaluation of how we monitor and forecast space weather events, especially those that operate under the radar.
Space may look calm — but hidden storms are brewing just above our heads.
