
Brace yourselves for a celestial spectacle. A surge of solar wind from a massive coronal hole is heading straight for Earth. Some people are calling it a sun explosion but we don't need to be that dramatic. While it's picking up speed, as of the latest report at 11 UTC on December 4, it hasn't fully reached our magnetic field yet.
Expect its arrival around midday UTC today. Get set for a G2 (moderate) geomagnetic storm, painting the sky with dancing lights. Tomorrow, December 5, might bring slightly milder G1 (minor) storms.
Last 24 hours: Solar activity has been calm, with 15 C flares between 11 UTC yesterday and today. The most significant was a C8.1 flare from AR3511 at 1:22 UTC on December 4. AR3500 stood out, producing three flares. Currently, eight active regions adorn the Earth-facing side of our radiant star.
Read more: JWST observations unlock secrets of the mysterious dark region in Milky Way
Solar flare: Next 24 hours forecast
Predictions indicate a 99% chance of C flares, a 30% chance of M flares, and a 5% chance of X flares.
Next expected CME: No Earth-directed coronal mass ejections (CMEs) have been observed in available imagery.
Current geomagnetic activity: Earth's geomagnetic field is on edge at 11 UTC on December 4. The significant coronal hole facing Earth is set to unleash its high-speed solar wind, expected to impact our magnetic field by midday today. Brace for a G2 (moderate) geomagnetic storm today and G1 (minor) storms on December 5. Aurora hunters, prepare your gear!