The Carrington Event: A Modern-Day Apocalypse

A solar storm begins with the sun’s surface activity, where magnetic fields twist and snap like overstressed cables, releasing energy in the form of solar flares and CMEs.

SHTF & SECURITYPOWER & EMP

1/10/20258 min read

The Carrington Event: A Modern-Day Apocalypse Waiting to Happen

It was 1859 when the skies over the northern hemisphere lit up in a kaleidoscope of colors—a celestial display so vivid that miners in the Rockies prepared breakfast at 1:00 a.m., convinced it was dawn. This was no ordinary aurora; it was the byproduct of the largest geomagnetic storm in recorded history. Known as the Carrington Event, it was a once-in-a-lifetime solar storm that unleashed a torrent of charged particles directly at Earth. Telegraph systems, the pinnacle of 19th-century technology, sparked and caught fire. Operators reported receiving electric shocks, and some systems functioned even after being disconnected.

I recently made a YoutTube video about The Carrington Event and EMP protection. Be sure to watch it. Charles Dickens travels from 1859 to the 1850s to warn us.

In the 21st century, our lives are far more interwoven with technology. The global infrastructure—power grids, satellites, aviation, and communication networks—depends on a delicate balance of electromagnetic harmony. The Carrington Event remains a harbinger of what could transpire should the sun unleash another coronal mass ejection (CME) of similar magnitude. The question is no longer "if" but "when."

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I cannot tell you the number of people i have been helping with solar battery powered generators. I also cannot believe how many of them don't protect their systems. Will an EMP ever happen? Sure, we can't predict the suns activity or estimate when China will attack us. Protection from an EMP is an insurance policy that you pay for one time and resume the rest of your life without thinking about it much. People do not want to believe that threats are real and that their new solar system is vulnerable. I typically emphasize that a heavy lightning strike or back-feed on a power line can fry their panel and generators if they are tied in. After all, surge protectors for the whole home were designed for high current surges, no different than an EMP or solar flare spike. This normally gets people curious about EMP protection.

The Science Behind the Storm

A solar storm begins with the sun’s surface activity, where magnetic fields twist and snap like overstressed cables, releasing energy in the form of solar flares and CMEs. The Carrington Event was triggered by a massive CME that reached Earth in just 17.6 hours, a testament to its speed and intensity. Earth’s magnetosphere, the invisible shield that protects the planet from solar and cosmic radiation, absorbed the brunt of the assault. However, the storm's intensity overwhelmed the defenses, inducing electrical currents in the ground and wreaking havoc on telegraph systems.

Modern society’s reliance on electricity and digital communication makes us exponentially more vulnerable. Today, a Carrington-scale event would cascade through every facet of life, rendering entire regions uninhabitable and economies paralyzed.

Infrastructure at Risk

Power Grids

The backbone of modern civilization is the power grid, and it is the first line of vulnerability. Geomagnetically induced currents (GICs) would surge through the grid, frying transformers and substations. Unlike in 1859, when the impact was limited to telegraphs, a modern CME would plunge cities into darkness for weeks or even months. Transformer replacements take months to manufacture, and with a global event, the demand would far outstrip supply. That is why it is super important to learn how to protect your whole house from an EMP.

Satellites and Space Assets

The modern reliance on satellites for navigation, communication, and weather prediction places these assets squarely in the crosshairs of a geomagnetic storm. High-energy particles would disable satellite electronics, rendering GPS systems useless and cutting off global communications. The cascading effects would include grounded flights, disrupted supply chains, and a collapse of financial systems reliant on precise timekeeping.

Communication Networks

Undersea internet cables, which facilitate 95% of intercontinental data transfer, are another critical vulnerability. While the cables themselves are largely shielded from GICs, the repeaters—devices that amplify the signal along the cable—are not. A failure in these systems would sever global communication networks, isolating continents and crippling the internet.

Aviation and Transportation

Airlines would be forced to ground flights as high-altitude radiation levels spike and navigation systems fail. Railway networks, dependent on GPS for scheduling and operation, would grind to a halt. The disruption of transportation would exacerbate supply chain issues, leading to shortages of food, medicine, and essential goods.

The Domino Effect

The collapse of critical infrastructure would trigger a domino effect, leading to societal unrest. Hospitals, reliant on electricity for life-support systems and refrigerated medicine, would become overwhelmed. The financial markets, driven by algorithmic trading and dependent on real-time data, would spiral into chaos. Governments would face unprecedented challenges in coordinating disaster response as communication systems falter.

Preparing for the Inevitable

Despite the catastrophic potential, the world remains underprepared for a Carrington-scale event. NASA and other space agencies monitor solar activity, providing limited warning through the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) and the Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR). However, the warning time for a CME ranges from hours to days, insufficient to mitigate all impacts. Regardless of the warning time, its important to have supplies for several weeks to several months. I wrote an article about long-term power outage checklists to be ready regardless if you have EMP protection or not.

Investment in resilient infrastructure is paramount. Hardened transformers, redundant satellite systems, and underground power lines could reduce vulnerability. Governments must also prioritize international cooperation to develop a coordinated response plan, recognizing that a solar storm does not respect borders.

In the realm of modern warfare and geopolitics, the threat of a solar superstorm often takes a backseat to more visible threats. Yet the Carrington Event’s shadow looms large, a stark reminder of nature’s capacity to disrupt human civilization. As humanity ventures further into the digital age, the consequences of ignoring this threat grow more severe. Like a ticking time bomb on the sun's surface, the next Carrington Event is not a matter of “if” but “when.” The survival of modern society may well depend on how prepared we are when it arrives.

EMPs and Their Parallels to the Carrington Event

In the world of clandestine operations and high-stakes geopolitics, threats are rarely what they seem on the surface. While ballistic missiles and cyber warfare dominate public discourse, one silent, unseen weapon looms large: the electromagnetic pulse (EMP). Triggered by a nuclear detonation in the upper atmosphere, an EMP could bring a modern city to its knees, causing localized devastation akin to the global effects of the 1859 Carrington Event. The parallels are stark, and the consequences could be just as catastrophic.

The Mechanics of an EMP

At its core, an EMP is a burst of electromagnetic energy capable of overwhelming electronic circuits and infrastructure. When a nuclear weapon detonates high above the Earth's surface—at altitudes between 30 and 400 kilometers—it releases gamma rays that interact with the atmosphere. This interaction generates a rapid, high-intensity electromagnetic pulse that radiates outward in three phases:

E1 Phase: A high-energy burst of electrons floods the air, disrupting electronic devices, sensors, and systems almost instantaneously. This phase is particularly devastating to microelectronics, rendering computers, communication devices, and other advanced technologies inoperable.
E2 Phase: Similar to the electromagnetic energy produced by lightning, this phase poses a secondary threat. While modern systems are often shielded against lightning strikes, the E2 phase becomes exponentially more damaging when paired with the E1 phase.
E3 Phase: A slower, longer-lasting surge caused by interactions with the Earth's magnetic field, the E3 phase induces geomagnetically induced currents (GICs). These currents propagate through power grids, damaging transformers and substation equipment, mirroring the impact of a geomagnetic storm like the Carrington Event.

The result? A blackout not caused by downed lines or bad weather, but by a weaponized burst of invisible energy. For cities, this could mean total paralysis.

Parallels to the Carrington Event

The Carrington Event of 1859 showcased the Earth’s vulnerability to electromagnetic disruption. A coronal mass ejection (CME) from the sun overloaded telegraph systems, causing sparks, fires, and communications outages. The key similarity between a nuclear EMP and the Carrington Event lies in their ability to overwhelm modern infrastructure. I wrote another article covering eight events that occur when the grid goes down, which discusses the reality of what can happen, the article includes the timeline of events from the first hour to the several months later, without power. The goal is to emphasis the importance of awareness tied to history, i.e. to the Carrington Event.

Power Grids

In both scenarios, geomagnetically induced currents surge through power lines, damaging transformers and substations. For a modern power grid, an EMP’s E3 phase could cause cascading failures across an entire region. The damage to these transformers, which are costly and time-intensive to replace, would leave cities in prolonged darkness.

Communication and Technology

During the Carrington Event, telegraph systems were the pinnacle of technology, and their failure provided a glimpse of how electromagnetic interference could disrupt communication. In a modern context, an EMP would fry microelectronics, severing global communications, crippling internet networks, and rendering smartphones and computers useless. Satellite networks, essential for navigation, banking, and emergency services, would be rendered blind.

Impact

Both events have the potential to disrupt society on a massive scale. In 1859, the world was not dependent on electricity or digital technology. In contrast, the 21st-century world’s dependence on interconnected systems would exacerbate the effects of an EMP. Without power, transportation systems would grind to a halt, hospitals would lose critical life-support capabilities, and supply chains would disintegrate, leading to food and medicine shortages.

The Threat of Weaponized EMPs

Unlike the Carrington Event, which was a natural occurrence, a nuclear-induced EMP is a deliberate act of aggression. Nations like the United States, Russia, and China are acutely aware of the strategic value of such a weapon. A single high-altitude detonation over a densely populated area could effectively cripple a country without the need for ground invasion.

Tactics and Scenarios

High-Altitude Detonation: A missile carrying a nuclear payload detonated at high altitude could blanket an entire region with an EMP, causing widespread electrical and electronic failure.
Localized Attack: A lower-altitude detonation could focus the effects on a specific city or critical infrastructure.
Asymmetric Warfare: Non-state actors or rogue nations could use smaller EMP devices to target critical nodes in power grids or communication hubs.
Many threats exist and can/will overlap with other effects. Its not simply loss of power, but can snowball into civil unrest and water contamination. I cover various disaster preparedness skills on my Instagram page in the form of reels and easy to read posts. Be sure to save them in your disaster prep folders on IG!

Mitigation and Preparedness

Despite the catastrophic potential, defense against an EMP is possible. Hardened infrastructure, including EMP-resistant transformers and shielding for critical systems, is key. Governments must also invest in redundant systems and emergency protocols, ensuring that essential services can function in the event of an attack. Consider, "can i live offgrid and how long? What is my comfort level? I wrote about some off-grid power solutions to help you figure this out if services fail.

International Cooperation

The global nature of electromagnetic threats demands international coordination. Agreements like the Outer Space Treaty prohibit the use of nuclear weapons in space, but enforcement and verification remain challenging. Joint efforts to monitor and mitigate solar storms and EMP-capable weapons are critical to reducing risks.

A Fragile Balance

The specter of an EMP attack underscores the fragility of modern civilization. Like the Carrington Event, an EMP could reveal how quickly the comforts of modernity can vanish. The EMP is a weapon that strikes at the heart of a nation's infrastructure, bypassing armies and fortifications to attack the systems that sustain daily life. Preparedness, resilience, and vigilance are the only shields against this silent, invisible adversary