Mercury Storm, March 2026

By Alex Miller

On Background:  The Mercury Storm is a period, typically involving several days, surrounding the stations of the planet of communication, transportation, travel and connectivity.  It occurs both as Mercury appears to slow, stop, and reverse motion in the heavens, its retrograde station, and as it turns again to resume direct motion, roughly three weeks later.  The intervening period is noted for problems, complications and downright SNAFUs regarding the areas which Mercury rules, but the effects are especially intense at the onset and termination of the retrograde period.

In Brief:  Mercury’s direct station came on Friday, March 20, with Mercury occupying its station degree (8 Pisces) from the 18^th through the 23^rd.  This would be the period of the Mercury Storm, and with Mercury conjunct Mars (16 Pisces), a further complication was introduced into the cosmic weather forecast.  Mars is the planet of conflict, war, and violent death, also traditionally associated with accidents (though in modern times, Uranus has usurped Mars’ role here).

The Mercury direct station was exactly trine (120 degrees) US President Donald Trump’s natal Mercury, and right on cue, Trump announced (Mercury) a major potential escalation in the war (Mars) with Iran, just a day later.  On the 21^st, Trump warned Iran in a social media post that continuing to block the Strait of Hormuz, the waterway that controls 20% of global oil dissemination, would result in massive US bombing of Iran’s internal power stations, infrastructure and electrical grids.  Mercury, in addition to ruling the statement itself, also resonates to any connective energy, such as pipes and pipelines, wiring and cables.

Trump gave Iran exactly 48 hours to remove any mines that had been planted in the strait, back off attacks on shipping, and allow free passage of oil tankers.  As global markets tanked in response to the threat, early on Monday the 23^rd, the proposed deadline date, Trump issued another decree, stating that since talks between the two governments were proceeding in satisfactory fashion, he would postpone his date of retribution for five more days, to allow negotiations to end the war to develop.  Markets rebounded.  Sudden pronouncements, changes of opinion, and turn-on-a-dime reactions are typical of Mercury Storms.  Note also that this conflict was initiated February 28^th, two days after Mercury turned retrograde, and has proceeded without due consideration of the global energy implications, any overarching plan for implementation, and no sense of the goal or endgame.

Another disastrous consequence of the Mercury Storm was the crash of an Air Canada jet with a firetruck on the runway at LaGuardia Airport in Queens, New York on March 22^nd.  Both pilots were killed in the collision, which was prompted by simultaneously clearing the jet for landing, and also permitting the firetruck to cross that runway, to another plane that was experiencing possible fire-related issues.  Mercury Storms are associated with fuzzy thinking, confusion and misperception.  Again, the conjunction with Mars promoted the violent deaths of the pilots, via accident.

Deep Dive:  The “accident” theme is reinforced in real time for the crash, which occurred at 11:45 PM EDT on March 22^nd.  This shows Uranus (28 Taurus), modern ruler of aviation, air travel and accidents, highlighted by Angular (1) placement on the Descendant (27 Taurus), which gives additional prominence and visibility to whatever it touches.  The Descendant is the setting point, the western extreme, a direction associated with death.

Additionally, both Mercury and Mars find themselves in Angular placement as well, straddling the IC (11 Pisces), making travel (Mercury) deaths (Mars) more likely.  With Mercury (8 Pisces) are asteroid Rip (7 Pisces), Damocles (6 Pisces) and asteroid Icarus (1 Pisces), with Rip a marker of death (as in RIP, “Rest In Peace”); Damocles representing the doom or peril hanging unseen overhead, about to descend at any moment; and Icarus associated with rash, reckless acts taken heedless of the consequences.  This well depicts the air traffic controller who gave simultaneous permission for both conveyances to occupy the same space at the same time.

Opposing (180 degrees) Mercury, exactly on the Midheaven (yet another Angle, the point of highest elevation in a chart, the focus of all eyes), is asteroid Queen’s (11 Virgo), pinpointing LaGuardia Airport in Queens, NY as the location where the accident would occur.  On the midpoint of this opposition, in square (90 degrees) to each, is a pairing of asteroids Osiris (13 Gemini) and Anubis (18 Gemini), named respectively for the ancient Egyptian god of the dead and the deity governing funerary rites, doubling down on the fatality factor.  This forms a T-Square pattern (2), a dynamic configuration promoting stress and crisis.

The role of the firetruck in the tragedy is seen clearly in a triple conjunction of asteroids Fireman (12 Capricorn), Nemesis (13 Capricorn) and Atropos (19 Capricorn), in trine to asteroid Guardi (12 Taurus).  Fireman is self-explanatory in this context; Nemesis refers to a source of ruin or destruction; and Atropos is named for the mythic Greek Fate who severs the thread of life at death.  Guardi is another celestial homage to the venue, LaGuardia Airport.  A loose Grand Trine Kite (3) pattern is formed with trines from the aforementioned to asteroid Lachesis (22 Virgo), named for the Fate who determines the span of life, with the String of the Kite formed by Jupiter (15 Cancer) in opposition to Fireman et al, providing publicity and notoriety for the event.

Notes:  (1) The “Angles” are the cardinal directional points, where celestial bodies rise (Ascendant) and set (Descendant) at the horizon, or achieve highest (Midheaven, or MC) or lowest elevations (Nadir, or IC). Placement here signifies enhanced importance in character or biography.  The Ascendant affects our public image, how others see us; the Descendant involves how we relate to others; the MC governs status, reputation and place in the world; and the IC represents foundations, origins and the domestic environment.

(2) A T-Square is a dynamic pattern composed of two or more planets in opposition (180 degrees), each squared (90 degrees) a third.  It represents stress and conflict, with the fulcrum point (at the square) offering a possibility of resolution.

(3) A Kite is special type of Grand Trine, with one or more points opposing one of the three primary Grand Trine points.  The point in opposition is termed the “String,” and guides the operation and manifestation of the Kite itself.

Sources:  reporting from MS NOW, AP; chart data from serennu.com; graphic images by author

Title Image Credit:  drawn by ChatGPT