Space Weather Woman Forecasts and News

This week, our Sun is sending us nearly continuous fast solar wind and it has been lighting up our skies with aurora. Some photographers have managed to capture aurora during the blood moon total lunar eclipse! The aurora shows have been intensified by several solar storm eruptions, at times bumping us to G2 storm

Solar activity has ramped up considerably over the last few days, including big solar flares, a radiation storm, and what looks like a promising Earth-directed solar storm and more to come. In particular, the Earth-directed solar storm could bring aurora just in time for the planetary alignment on February 28. Aurora photographers should be

Our Sun plays Cupid this week by ensuring we have some solar storming through this upcoming Valentines Day weekend. Even as we calm down from some fast solar wind, another pocket of fast wind is on its way to Earth. Sandwiched within the fast wind will be several stealthy solar storms and a narrow

A massive set of coronal holes will be sending us some fast solar wind over the next few days. These dark, ominous, features are about to become regular visitors as we continue our descent into the declining phase of the solar cycle. Even though this phase is just beginning, we could see some pretty

This week our Sun launches multiple big solar storms, most of which have given us some gorgeous eye candy. One of these eruptions launched a strong Earth-directed solar storm that hit Earth, but it was the wrong magnetic orientation to cause issues. We have also had several spectacular farsided eruptions, which hint that old

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone! Activity picks up this week in a big way with a lot of eye-candy on the Earth-facing Sun and on the farside too. Two Earth-directed solar storms could impact Earth this week bringing aurora down to mid-latitudes during the holiday festivities. Although the storming isnt expected to be very strong, we

This week our star kicks activity into high gear with some fast-growing active regions in Earth view. One of these taking center stage is Region 3883, which has fired multiple big flares and launched a very dense solar storm that looks to have an Earth-directed component. If this storm grazes Earth, as the models

Our Sun launched multiple Earth-directed solar storms towards Earth this week, with the first one hitting us just now (it is fashionably late). The second will likely hit late on September 12 and be followed by some fast solar wind. This means aurora photographers could be in for an extended show from about now

Although we are calming down from several solar storms that hit back to back over the past week and gave us some decent aurora, our Sun isn't calming down. We have four active regions that are about to rotate into Earth view that have been firing big flares and launching solar storms on the

This week our Sun stays active but has terrible aim. Earth has dodged at least four solar storms launched off the Earth-facing Sun. The only expected impact will be from some fast solar wind over the next couple of days, but that shouldn't cause too much trouble for radio amateurs participating in "Field Day"

This week our Sun sends the bulk of activity to the farside. Region 3697 continues to launch strong events, but they are hammering Mars instead of Earth this week. At our planet, we are dealing with low-level radio blackouts from Region 3712 and a few mini solar storms, but we have one mystery. There

Our Sun decides to play a prank on us by launching a far sided solar storm at the same time Region 3697 on the front sided Sun fired off an X-class flare. The combination of events caused many would-be forecasters to assume we had a strong solar storm headed towards us again, just like

This week all eyes are on the Sun as old Region 3664 (now renumbered Region 3697) returns to Earth-view. This region has already launched an X-class flare (possibly higher than an X4!) before it fully has rotated into view on the East limb. Although, I doubt it will repeat the same intensity of solar

The first solar storm in this train has hit! The storm is quite fast so the initial impact caused a momentary G4-level response. Radiation Storm and Polar Aviation 5-Day Outlook 00:18:29 | Summary Right now we are sitting at G3+ levels due to a strong, but wildly fluctuating magnetic field. This is expected while

This week our Sun decides to show us how busy things can get during solar maximum. We have 18 sunspot clusters in Earth-view, including multiple big-flare players that are making a lot of noise on the dayside radio bands. Luckily, the numerous radio blackouts are mostly short-lived and only at the R1-level so they

This week our Sun kicks activity into high gear with multiple solar storm launches, including one that is Earth-directed. Although not a direct hit, it could bring aurora to mid-latitudes for a short while starting March 20. In addition, we have a whole cluster of active regions rotating into Earth-view. Several of these are

We have a lot of filaments and new active regions in Earth-view this week and although we havent had much in the way of flare activity, things are picking up. In fact, a partly Earth-directed solar storm is on its way to earth and could give us some aurora by March 9th. Aurora photographers

Our Sun has gotten busy this week firing multiple X-class flares including the largest of this cycle thus far. All the noise is due to Region 3590, which has been actively firing flares even before it rotated into Earth view. Amateur radio operators, aviators, and GPS users are dealing with R2 and R3-level radio

Our Sun has gotten so busy over the past week that I have had to update this forecast three times before releasing it to the public! This week our Sun has fired no less than seven mid-to-high M-class flares along with an X-class flare and has launched at least three Earth-directed solar storms. This

We have four, back-to-back solar storms on their way to Earth. The first is expected to hit Monday the 22nd (although I suspect it will arrive fashionably late). The second will be right on its heels and enhance the first. These first two storms will be the ones that drive aurora down to mid-latitudes

This week our Sun is beginning to ramp up activity due to a bunch of new regions rotating into view. At least seven new active regions have rotated into view over the last few days. We will be watching them very closely, as some of them are showing signs of increased flare activity. Amateur

This week our Sun steps into high gear. We have multiple glancing solar storm blows along with a pocket of fast solar wind on its way. Aurora photographers at high latitudes should get a nice show, but it may not be enough for mid-latitude photographers. That being said, with active regions 3511 and 3513

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone! Im on the road this week, but our Sun is hard at work! Activity is picking up, big time. We have no less than 11 active regions in Earth-view right now with more rotating into view over the next few days. Several of these are X-flare players, which means lots of

This week our Sun continues a moderate level of activity. Region 3473, as it was just rotating into Earth view, launched a massive solar storm, which is grazing Earth now. Along with some fast solar wind from a large coronal hole these bumpy conditions have caused aurora visible at high latitudes. Views at mid-latitudes

Our Sun remains active, launching no less than four solar storms in our general direction, but most of these are wispy and will have a soft landing at Earth. At least one of these storms is already impacting Earth, bringing aurora to high latitudes. However, aurora photographers at mid-latitudes will likely have to wait

You might notice something different. This forecast is the first in a new "broadcast style" of delivery I am developing. It was recorded live with interactive graphics and only minor editing. As such, it has a totally different feel (along with a few audio errors that I am still working out). Stay tuned as

This week solar activity increases Earthside with several solar storm launches that could give us a glancing blow followed by a fast wind chaser. Although not very strong, the combination of these three things could enhance effects enough to give us some aurora. Aurora photographers, especially at high latitudes could get some nice views

This week much of the activity is on the farside of the Sun, giving us a much needed break. After the multiple X-class flares and G3-level solar storm we sure can use it! That being said, we do have a large coronal hole that will be rotating through the Earth-strike zone over the next

This week our Sun kicks into high gear launching a train of solar storms towards Earth. The first two should arrive on August 4th with a third arriving early to midday August 5th. We will likely bump up to G1 storm levels, with activity peaking on the 5th, but lasting possibly through the 6th

This week, the big events are focused on the Sun's farside, but we still have quite a bit of activity facing Earth, including an Earth-directed solar storm. Sadly, nothing spoils a good aurora forecast like a solar storm hitting early. Even though NASA and NOAA predicted the arrival on July 26, the storm had

Our Sun has been extremely busy this week firing off so many glancing solar storm blows that the media has had a hard time keeping track of all of the action. In particular Region 3363 has been a major source of this activity, topping things off with a whopper of a solar storm launch

Our Sun gives us a mixed bag this week with several glancing blows from solar storms and some R1-R2-level radio blackouts. Most of the activity is due to region 3354, which is continuing to make its way across the earth-facing disk and will rotate to the Sun's farside in about four days. Aurora photographers

Big flare activity returns this week with several active regions, namely 3323 and 3327 that have radio blackout potential. along with at least one, if not two more regions rotating into view over the coming days, this means we will see more noise on the radio bands, ICAO space weather aviation advisories, and the

This week the weather from our star remains at moderate levels. Impacts early this week have been mainly due to fast solar wind from some small coronal holes that are now rotating to the Sun's farside. However, another larger coronal hole will send us some more fast solar wind over the next few days.

Our Sun calms down just a little bit this week. We had over 20 radio blackouts on Earth's dayside from December 14 though December 17 due to several troublemakers, namely Regions 3156 and 3163, and 3165, but the last of the bunch (region 3163) is now rotating to the Sun's farside. This is good

This week our Sun's bark is worse than its bite with multiple filaments launching partly towards Earth, but only light impacts are expected. Aurora photographers at high latitudes may be the only ones to catch a show this week. Despite this lackluster performance, we have at least nine numbered regions in Earth-view, which ensures

Our Sun switches gears this week as the set of active regions that gave us some big flares and radio blackouts last week rotates to the Sun's farside and a dark coronal hole begins to rotate into the Earth-strike zone. This means radio communications on Earth's dayside will improve, and aurora possibilities on Earth's

With Hurricane Ian impacting Florida this week, we really needed the Sun to stay quiet, but no such luck. We have some incoming fast solar wind along with a grazing passage of a solar storm that together could bump us up to G2-levels (possibly G3-levels/Kp7 at high latitudes) over the next few days. This

This week we say goodbye to big flare player region 3098 and hello to region 3102 as we wait for even bigger flare player, old region 3089 to rotate back into Earth-view. This means we are getting a slight reprieve when it comes to radio blackouts from big flares on Earth's dayside. Amateur radio

This week our Sun is trading big flare-players for a nice chance for aurora. We say goodbye to region 3088 as it rotates off the Sun's west limb and to the farside. Guaranteed we will keep a close watch on it to see whether it survives the next two weeks and will return. Meanwhile

Our Sun lights up this week with two big flare players that have the X-factor. Regions 3088 and 3089 have been firing big solar flares over the past few days causing R1-R2 level radio blackouts on Earth's dayside. In addition, region 3088 has been launching partly Earth-directed solar storms. These storms are expected to

This week our Sun calms down a bit, but still gives us mixed bag of active regions, coronal holes and solar eye candy. We have multiple active regions on the Earth-facing disk, including a big-flare player. Luckily, this region has been underperforming. The good news is that solar flux is finally back into the

This week our Sun turns up the volume and the beauty as it launches not one but two Earth-directed solar storms. The first of these cartwheels off the Sun during launch in a graceful ballet, one that will make its magnetic field orientation hard to predict when it arrives at Earth. NASA predictions show

This week our Sun switches gears and brings big flare players back into Earth view. Several of these regions have X-flare potential, but thus far have only been firing M-class flares. Solar flux also rises well into the 150s, even into the 160s at times. This means radio propagation is back into the good

Just as we are calming down from one solar storm, our Sun sends us another! Although this solar storm is wispy and slow, it is rather large and could give us some decent aurora possibilities this week. NASA predictions indicate it should hit Earth around mid-day on July 1. Aurora photographers at high-latitudes should

This week our Sun displays some explosive growth as we switch from a nearly spotless Sun last week to having at least eight active regions on the Earth-facing disk. Several of these are big-flare players with region 3031 being the one to watch at the moment. In addition, back on the 13th region 3030

Our Sun has been busy, but Earth has remained outside the crosshairs for most of the activity. There are quite a few active regions on the Earth-facing disk, including a X-flare player, but with the exception of a few radio blackouts, these regions have not caused us any lasting effects. In fact, no solar

Our Sun continues to keep us busy with two X-flare players on the Earth-facing Sun along with several filaments poised to erupt as they cross the Earth-Strike Zone. We already have one Earth-directed solar storm on its way to Earth that should give us a glancing blow by early May 9. This solar storm

This week our Sun dims down a bit when it comes to sunspots, but not solar activity! We have an Earth-directed solar storm on its way. It will be followed by some fast solar wind that will serve to enhance the impact of this solar storm. Aurora photographers should get a good chance for

After no less than 12 M-class flares,1 X-class flare, 3 Radiations storms, and 2 Earth-directed Solar storms, region 2975 finally rotates behind the West limb of the Sun. If only that meant solar activity would slow down. Nope! Believe it or not, big flares are still on the menu, at least for the next

We have two back-to-back solar storms on their way to Earth! The second one will catch up and slam into the first before they reach Earth, which will intensify the impact when they arrive. Although the storms are expected to be a G2-level, NOAA has issued a G3-level watch for this set of storms