Superstorms Can Strike Anytime: The Carrington Event of 1859 Amid a Weak Solar Cycle

In late April 2015, observations indicated that the Sun was nearly devoid of sunspots, highlighting the ongoing weakness of Solar Cycle 24—the most subdued solar cycle in over a century. This period of minimal solar activity, following a notably deep solar minimum from 2007 to 2009, has implications for space weather and Earth’s climate. While reduced sunspot activity generally leads to fewer geomagnetic storms, it doesn’t eliminate the possibility of significant solar events. Historically, even during weak solar cycles, powerful storms like the Carrington Event of 1859 have occurred.

Source: https://arcfieldweather.com/blog/2015/04/30/845-am-the-sun-is-now-virtually-blank-during-the-weakest-solar-cycle-in-more-than-a-century