Space Weather
Space Weather
Space weather describes changing environmental conditions in near-Earth space. Magnetic fields, radiation, particles and matter, which have been ejected from the Sun, can interact with the Earth’s upper atmosphere and surrounding magnetic field to produce a variety of effects.
Space weather notifications
There are currently no active notifications.
Aurora forecasts
Northern Hemisphere
The auroral oval is expected to remain at or near Background levels, with no significant solar wind enhancements currently forecast.
Southern Hemisphere
The auroral oval is expected to remain at or near Background levels, with no significant solar wind enhancements currently forecast.
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Forecast overview
Space Weather Forecast Headline: No significant activity.
Analysis of Space Weather Activity over past 24 hours
Solar Activity: Solar activity has been Low with a small Common class flare.
There are currently up to four sunspot regions on the visible disc. The largest is a bipolar region in the northwest quadrant. It has shown further slight development in recent imagery with consolidation in the lead and intermediary portions. In the southeast disc, there is a modest size spot but now with a small spots forming to its east. There are two more simple spots, one in the south east with another has developed in the north-centre disc.
No Earth-directed Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) have been observed in available imagery.
Solar Wind / Geomagnetic Activity: The solar wind showed a slow, erratic waning coronal hole influence. Solar wind speeds declined from Elevated, around 510km/s, to Slightly Elevated, near 420km/s. Total Interplanetary Magnetic Field was Weak, with the north-south component also Weak and variable in direction. Geomagnetic activity was predominantly Quiet (Kp 0-2), with an isolated Unsettled (Kp3) interval at 12/1200-1500UTC, as observed by BGS.
Energetic Particles / Solar Radiation: The count rate of energetic particles (high energy protons) is at Background with no solar radiation storms observed.
Four-Day Space Weather Forecast Summary
Solar Activity: Activity is expected to be Low to Very Low, with a slight chance of an isolated Moderate class flare.
Solar Wind / Geomagnetic Activity: There are currently no Earth-directed Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs). Solar winds are expected to continue to gradually and erratically ease towards Background after the recent fast wind enhancement, although further brief weak enhancements cannot be ruled out from fast winds associated with another small coronal hole. Geomagnetic activity is expected to be mostly Quiet with isolated Unsettled (Kp1-3) spells, and just the slight chance of an isolated Active (Kp4) interval.
Energetic Particles / Solar Radiation: The count rate of energetic particles (high energy protons) is forecast to persist at Background with no solar radiation storms expected.
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Solar imagery
SDO AIA-193
This channel highlights the outer atmosphere of the Sun - called the corona - as well as hot flare plasma. Hot active regions, solar flares, and coronal mass ejections will appear bright here. The dark areas - called coronal holes - are places where very little radiation is emitted, yet are the main source of solar wind particles.
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SDO AIA-304
This channel is especially good at showing areas where cooler dense plumes of plasma (filaments and prominences) are located above the visible surface of the Sun. Many of these features either can't be seen or appear as dark lines in the other channels. The bright areas show places where the plasma has a high density.
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