Space Weather Guide

For updates and breaking Space Weather news follow Space Weather on Twitter.
Follow @SpaceWeather

What is Space Weather?

Most of the time space, weather is of little concern in our everyday lives. However, when the space environment is disturbed by the variable output of particles and radiation from the Sun, technologies that we depend on in our daily life, in space orbit as well as on the ground, can be affected. Some of the most dramatic space weather effects occur in association with eruptions of material from the solar atmosphere into interplanetary space. Thus, our space weather is a consequence of the behavior of the Sun, the nature of Earth's magnetic field and atmosphere, and our location in the solar system. The increasing deployment of radiation -current- and field sensitive technological systems over the last few decades and the increasing presence of complex systems in space combine to make society more vulnerable to solar-terrestrial disturbances. This has been emphasized by the large number of problems associated with the severe magnetic storms between 1989 and 1991 as the 11 year solar activity cycle peaked.

SOHO Real-time View of the Sun

Space Weather Outlook

Joint USAF/NOAA Solar Geophysical Activity Report and Forecast 17 December 2018

Joint USAF/NOAA Solar Geophysical Activity Report and Forecast
SDF Number 351 Issued at 2200Z on 17 Dec 2018

IA. Analysis of Solar Active Regions and Activity from 16/2100Z to 17/2100Z: Solar activity has been at very low levels for the past 24 hours. There are currently 0 numbered sunspot regions on the disk.

IB. Solar Activity Forecast: Solar activity is expected to be very low on days one, two, and three (18 Dec, 19 Dec, 20 Dec).

IIA. Geophysical Activity Summary 16/2100Z to 17/2100Z: The geomagnetic field has been at quiet levels for the past 24 hours. Solar wind speed reached a peak of 441 km/s at 17/1213Z. Total IMF reached 11 nT at 17/0645Z. The maximum southward component of Bz reached -5 nT at 17/1029Z. Electrons greater than 2 MeV at geosynchronous orbit reached a peak level of 1200 pfu.

IIB. Geophysical Activity Forecast: The geomagnetic field is expected to be at quiet levels on days one and three (18 Dec, 20 Dec) and quiet to unsettled levels on day two (19 Dec).

III. Event probabilities 18 Dec-20 Dec
Class M    01/01/01
Class X    01/01/01
Proton     01/01/01
PCAF       green

IV. Penticton 10.7 cm Flux
Observed           17 Dec 070
Predicted   18 Dec-20 Dec 070/070/070
90 Day Mean        17 Dec 069

V. Geomagnetic A Indices
Observed Afr/Ap 16 Dec 001/001
Estimated Afr/Ap 17 Dec 005/005
Predicted Afr/Ap 18 Dec-20 Dec 006/005-008/008-006/005

VI. Geomagnetic Activity Probabilities 18 Dec-20 Dec
A. Middle Latitudes
Active                10/20/10
Minor Storm           01/10/05
Major-severe storm    01/01/01
B. High Latitudes
Active                15/20/15
Minor Storm           15/25/20
Major-severe storm    15/25/20