http://www.newsweek.com/solar-flare-radio-blackout-space-weather-1857855

An enormous solar flare spat out from the sun on New Year's Eve is still causing havoc on Earth, with radio blackouts affecting vast areas of the globe.

The solar flare emitted by sunspot AR3536 was the strongest of the current solar cycle, classified as an X5 flare, with the solar X-rays causing a deep shortwave radio blackout across the Pacific Ocean.