G3 geomagnetic storm watch

torstaina, 6. marraskuuta 2025 19.52 UTC

While we currently are in a high speed solar wind stream which actually already caused a surprise G3 geomagnetic storm against all odds, the first of these coronal mass ejections could arrive within the next 12 hours. This impact (if it arrives) will be a glancing blow and should be the weakest of the three impacts to come.

Yesterday's M8.6 solar flare that peaked at 22:07 UTC was also eruptive and makes for the third coronal mass ejection that will have a chance to arrive at Earth. As we see on the animation below by SEEDS and SOHO we see that this coronal mass ejection has a predomarly northward trajectory but again there is a halo outline to be seen which again means that we should see the influence of this plasma cloud at our planet in the days ahead.

All of these events combined made the NOAA SWPC issue a strong G3 geomagnetic storm watch which would mean visible aurora from middle latitude locations like England, the Netherlands, southern New Zealand, Melbourne (Australia) and even Boulder, CO in the USA under optimal viewing conditions.

On our nearest star we see that sunspot region 4274 has been fairly calm today compared to its mischief of the past few days but it keeps its complex Beta-Gamma-Delta magnetic layout which has the potential for more M or even X-class activity in the coming 24 hours.