The National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) has released the World magnetic model 2025 (WMM2025), which shows that the Earth’s magnetic field continues to shift towards Siberia.
The World magnetic model offers the latest, most accurate predictions of Earth’s magnetic field shifts. The 2025 model is valid till 2029.
Apart from tracking the shift in Earth’s magnetic field, the model also provides essential updates for technologies that rely on the Earth’s magnetic field, including GPS, navigation systems, and compasses.
A key enhancement in WMM 2025 is the World magnetic model high resolution (WMMHR 2025), which significantly improves spatial accuracy, reducing the equatorial resolution from 3,300 kilometres to approximately 300 kilometres. This advancement ensures more precise navigation for military and civilian applications, including ships, submarines, and aircraft, as well as consumer devices like smartphones and GPS systems.
The new model also updates the blackout zones near the poles, where the magnetic field becomes unreliable for navigation. These zones have shifted slightly, reflecting changes in the Earth’s magnetic field.
The movement of the magnetic north pole is driven by molten metals in the Earth’s outer core. Over the past two centuries, the magnetic north pole has moved approximately 2,250 kilometres from Canada towards Russia. Between 1990 and 2005, its movement accelerated to 50–60 kilometres per year. However, in recent years, this rate of movement has decelerated to 35 kilometres per year.
The WMM is updated every five years and is used globally by governments, military organisations, and entities like NATO.