M8.1 solar flare with earth-directed CME
Sunday, 7 December 2025 19:22 UTC
Sunspot region 4299 produced an M8.1 solar flare (R2-moderate) which peaked at 20:39 UTC yesterday. Type II and type IV radio emissions were registered along with coronal dimming which are all typical signs that a coronal mass ejection was launched.
Coronagraph imagery shows a faint halo coronal mass ejection (CME) which for sure has an earth-directed component. The CME has an estimated velocity of 850 km/s according to the SIDC and it suggests a possible arrival at Earth late UTC on Dec 08 to early Dec 09. The NOAA SWPC has issued a strong G3 geomagnetic storm watch for Tuesday, 9 December which might be a bit optimistic for such a ''slow'' CME but it is not ccompletely impossible if the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) cooperates and we get a period with a prolonged southward Bz component of the IMF.
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