NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) — a division of the National Weather Service — is monitoring the Sun and solar winds following a series of Coronal Mass Ejections (CME) that began at 08:30 am EDT on August 14.
NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) — a division of the National Weather Service — is monitoring the Sun and solar winds following a series of Coronal Mass Ejections (CME) that began at 08:30 am EDT on August 14. Space weather forecasters predict a strong geomagnetic storm, a G3 on NOAA’s scales, late on August 18 and moderate (G2) geomagnetic storming on August 19. They have issued a Geomagnetic Storm Watch through August 19.
Forecasters are monitoring a small, but compact and magnetically complex Sunspot grouping, designated active Region 3078, currently located just west of the Sun’s central meridian in the southern hemisphere. Region 3078 produced frequent flares, including an M5 X-ray flare (R2-Moderate radio blackout) at 3:58 am EDT on August 16. M-class flares are still possible from this sunspot region; however, recent imagery indicated possible signs of weakening and potential decay.
SWPC forecasters continue to monitor NOAA’s DSCOVR satellite and its real-time solar winds for signs of the arrival and strength of the CMEs, and will issue any appropriate geomagnetic storm warnings once data is received.
Read more at: NOAA
Photo Credit: TheDigitalArtist via Pixabay
