The geomagnetic field was at quiet to active levels on August 12 under the influence of effects associated with CH1310 and CH1311. Solar wind speed at SOHO ranged between 484 and 750 km/sec, averaging 592 km/sec (+81 km/sec compared to the previous day). The high latitude magnetometer at Andenes recorded quiet to major storm levels. The above 10 MeV proton flux was at background levels all day.
Solar flux density measured at 20h UT on 2.8 GHz was 152.5 - increasing 0.4 over the previous solar rotation. The 365 day average solar flux at 1 AU was 176.14 (183 days ago). The 81 day average solar flux at 1 AU was 141.8 (41 days ago, this is 46.0% of the total SC25 solar flux range from the max 81 day average peak on September 4, 2024 at 227.3 and an average 81 day flux of 69 at solar minimum). SC25 365d peak: 195.86 on October 13, 2024. The Potsdam WDC planetary A index was 12 (STAR Ap - based on the average of three hour interval ap indices: 12.0). Three hour interval K indices: 43223223 (planetary), 33234323 (Boulder), 66324445 (Andenes).
The background x-ray flux is at the class C1 level (GOES 19).
At the time of counting spots (see image time), spots were observed in 18 active regions using 2K resolution (SN: 358) and in 14 active regions using 1K resolution (SN: 230) SDO/HMI images.
AR 14169 [N22W31] was quiet and stable.
AR 14171 [N19W11] was quiet and stable.
AR 14172 [N08W31] still has small magnetic delta configurations in
the leading and intermediate spot sections. The trailing spot section
decayed. M flares are possible.
AR 14174 [S07W84] rotated quietly to the southwest limb.
AR 14175 [N12E07] developed slowly and quietly.
AR 14176 [N26W07] was quiet and stable.
AR 14177 [N05E09] gained a few tiny spots and was quiet.
AR 14178 [N09W60] was mostly quiet and stable. The region has
polarity intermixing and a minor M flare is possible. C1 flares: C1.5 @
22:36 UT
AR 14179 [S10E39] decayed slowly and quietly.
New AR 14180 [S03E59] rotated into view on August 11 and was numbered
the next day by SWPC. The region is developing slowly.
Spotted regions not observed (or interpreted
differently) by SWPC/USAF:
S11336 [S17E05] reemerged with tiny spots.
S11338 [N17W09] developed slowly and quietly.
S11339 [S11W12] developed slowly and quietly.
New AR S11340 [N08E83] rotated into view with a small spot.
New AR S11341 [N28E70] emerged with a tiny spot.
New AR S11342 [N31E20] was observed with tiny spots in an old
plage area.
New AR S11343 [S11E23] emerged with a tiny spot.
New AR
S11344 [S05W11] emerged with a tiny spot.
C2+ flares
| Magnitude | Peak time (UT) | Location | Source | Recorded by | Comment |
| C4.4 | 00:08 | behind NW limb | 14168 | GOES18 | |
| C4.1 | 00:34 | behind NW limb | 14168 | GOES18 | |
| M1.5 | 00:59 | behind NW limb | 14168 | GOES18 | |
| M1.8 | 01:23 | behind NW limb | 14168 | GOES18 | |
| C7.1 | 01:51 | behind NW limb | 14168 | GOES18 | |
| C6.4 | 02:12 | behind NW limb | 14168 | GOES18 | |
| C5.9 | 02:33 | behind NW limb | 14168 | GOES18 | |
| C4.1 | 03:17 | behind NW limb | 14168 | GOES18 | |
| C7.7 | 03:38 | behind NE limb | S11340 | GOES18 | |
| C3.3 | 04:05 | behind NW limb | 14168 | GOES18 | |
| C5.1 | 04:20 | behind NW limb | 14168 | GOES18 | |
| C5.8 | 04:29 | behind NW limb | 14168 | GOES18 | |
| C3.7 | 05:10 | behind NW limb | 14168 | GOES18 | |
| C2.5 | 06:09 | behind NW limb | 14168 | GOES18 | |
| C2.6 | 06:21 | 14172 | GOES18 | ||
| C4.3 | 06:41 | behind NW limb | 14168 | GOES18 | |
| C3.3 | 07:37 | behind NW limb | 14168 | GOES18 | |
| C3.5 | 07:58 | behind NW limb | 14168 | GOES18 | |
| C3.9 | 08:22 | 14178 | GOES18 | ||
| C4.5 | 08:46 | behind NW limb | 14168 | GOES18 | |
| C3.7 | 09:07 | behind NW limb | 14168 | GOES18 | |
| C2.0 | 11:30 | 14172 | GOES18 | ||
| C7.7 | 11:53 | behind NE limb | S11340 | GOES18 | |
| C6.1 | 12:18 | behind NW limb | 14168 | GOES18 | |
| C5.0 | 12:55 | N07W29 | 14172 | GOES18 | |
| C2.8 | 15:10 | 14172 | GOES18 | ||
| C3.2 | 15:53 | 14172 | GOES18 | ||
| C4.0 | 16:24 | behind NW limb | 14168 | GOES18 | simultaneous flare in AR 14172 |
| C2.5 | 16:55 | 14179 | GOES18 | ||
| C2.2 | 17:14 | 14172 | GOES18 | simultaneous flare in AR 14168 | |
| C3.4 | 18:24 | behind NW limb | 14168 | GOES18 | |
| C8.3 | 18:43 | 14172 | GOES18 | ||
| C3.7 | 19:36 | 14172 | GOES18 | ||
| C2.1 | 21:35 | 14178 | GOES18 | ||
| C2.4 | 22:53 | 14178 | GOES18 |
August 10-12: No obviously Earth directed CMEs.
[Coronal
hole history (since October 2002)]
[Compare today's report to the situation one solar rotation ago:
28 days ago
27 days ago
26 days ago]
An extensive southern hemisphere recurrent positive polarity coronal hole (CH1310) rotated across the central meridian on August 5-12. A northern hemisphere positive polarity coronal hole (CH1311) was Earth facing on August 7-9. A recurrent negative polarity trans equatorial coronal hole (CH1312) will likely rotate across the central meridian on August 15-16.
The geomagnetic field is expected to be at quiet to active levels on August 13-14 due to effects associated with CH1310 and CH1311. Mostly quiet levels are likely on August 15-17.
| Coronal holes (1) | Coronal mass ejections (2) | M and X class flares (3) |
1) Effects from a coronal hole could
reach Earth within the next 5 days. When the high speed stream has arrived
the color changes to green.
2) Effects from a CME are likely to be observed at Earth within 96
hours.
3) There is a possibility of either M or X class flares within the
next 48 hours.
Green: 0-30% probability, Yellow: 30-70% probability, Red: 70-100% probability.
(Click on image for 2K resolution).
4K resolution.
Compare to the previous
day's image. 0.5K image
When available the active region map has a coronal hole polarity overlay where red (pink) is negative and blue is positive.
Data for all officially numbered solar regions according to the Solar Region Summary provided by NOAA/SWPC, all other regions are numbered sequentially as they emerge using the STAR spot number. Comments are my own, as is the STAR spot count (spots observed at or inside a few hours before midnight) and data for regions not numbered by SWPC or where SWPC has observed no spots. SWPC active region numbers in the table below and in the active region map above are the historic SWPC/USAF numbers. SWPC data considered to be not sufficiently precise (location, area, classification) are colored red.
| Active region | SWPC date numbered STAR detected |
Spot count | Location at midnight | Area | Classification | SDO / HMI 4K continuum image with magnetic polarity overlays |
Comment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SWPC/ USAF |
STAR | SWPC | STAR | Current | Previous | ||||||
| 2K | 1K | ||||||||||
| 14169 | 2025.08.03 2025.08.04 |
3 | 5 | 4 | N21W35 | 0040 | HAX | DAO |
 |
 |
was AR S11317 area: 0090 location: N22W31 |
| S11318 | 2025.08.04 | S12W36 | |||||||||
| 14171 | 2025.08.05 2025.08.06 |
2 | 3 | 1 | N18W15 | 0050 | CSO | HSX |
 |
 |
was AR S11321 area: 0080 location: N19W11 |
| S11322 | 2025.08.05 | N06W56 | |||||||||
| 14172 | 2025.08.05 | 27 | 54 | 31 | N08W32 | 0170 | EAC | EAC |
 |
 |
beta-gamma-delta was AR S11323 location: N08W31 area: 0530 |
| 14174 | 2025.08.05 2025.08.07 |
3 | 2 | 1 | S08W88 | 0070 | DAO | HRX |
 |
 |
was AR S11324 location: S07W84 area: 0040 |
| 14175 | 2025.08.07 2025.08.08 |
6 | 20 | 12 | N11E06 | 0050 | CAO | DAI |
 |
 |
was AR S11325 area: 0090 location: N12E07 |
| 14177 | 2025.08.07 2025.08.08 |
2 | 15 | 6 | N05E07 | 0020 | HAX | CSO |
 |
 |
was AR S11326 area: 0050 location: N05E09 |
| 14176 | 2025.08.07 2025.08.08 |
7 | 3 | N25W11 | 0015 | BXO |
 |
 |
was AR S11327 location: N26W07 |
||
| S11329 | 2025.08.07 | S09W58 | |||||||||
| 14178 | 2025.08.07 2025.08.09 |
9 | 27 | 12 | N09W63 | 0200 | DAI | DKI |
 |
 |
beta-gamma was AR S11330 area: 0410 location: N09W60 |
| S11331 | 2025.08.08 | N15W44 | |||||||||
| S11332 | 2025.08.08 | S12W35 | |||||||||
| 14179 | 2025.08.09 2025.08.11 |
2 | 6 | 3 | S11E38 | 0030 | HAX | HAX |
 |
 |
was AR S11333 area: 0090 location: S10E39 |
| S11334 | 2025.08.10 | S19W06 | |||||||||
| S11335 | 2025.08.10 | S07E02 | |||||||||
| S11336 | 2025.08.10 | 4 | 1 | S17E05 | 0006 | BXO |
 |
||||
| 14180 | 2025.08.11 2025.08.12 |
8 | 14 | 9 | S04E61 | 0050 | DAO | DAI |
 |
 |
was AR S11337 area: 0090 |
| S11338 | 2025.08.11 | 3 | 2 | N17W09 | 0015 | CRO |
 |
 |
|||
| S11339 | 2025.08.11 | 10 | 4 | S11W12 | 0030 | DRO |
 |
 |
|||
| S11340 | 2025.08.12 | 1 | 1 | N08E83 | 0010 | HRX |
 |
||||
| S11341 | 2025.08.12 | 1 | N28E70 | 0001 | AXX |
 |
|||||
| S11342 | 2025.08.12 | 3 | N31E20 | 0003 | AXX |
 |
|||||
| S11343 | 2025.08.12 | 2 | S11E23 | 0003 | AXX |
 |
|||||
| S11344 | 2025.08.12 | 1 | S05W11 | 0002 | AXX |
 |
|||||
| Total spot count: | 62 | 178 | 90 | ||||||||
| Sunspot number: | 152 | 358 | 230 | (total spot count + 10 * number of spotted regions) | |||||||
| Weighted SN: | 107 | 235 | 147 | (Sum of total spot count + classification weighting for each AR. Classification weighting: X=0, R=3, A/S=5, H/K=10) | |||||||
| Relative sunspot number (Wolf number): | 167 | 197 | 184 | ||||||||
| Month | Average solar flux | International sunspot number (WDC-SILSO) |
Smoothed sunspot number (4) | Average
ap (3) |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Measured | 1 AU | ||||
| 2024.02 | 172.5 | 168.3 | 123.0 | 136.9 (+5.7) | 5.31 |
| 2024.03 | 154.4 | 152.9 | 103.7 | 141.4 (+4.5) | 11.03 |
| 2024.04 | 161.3 | 162.6 | 137.0 | 144.5 (+3.1) | 9.69 |
| 2024.05 | 187.7 | 191.9 | 172.1 | 149.1 (+4.6) | 23.56 (SC25 peak) |
| 2024.06 | 184.3 | 190.2 | 164.1 | 152.8 (+3.7) | 10.24 |
| 2024.07 | 196.6 | 203.0 | 196.8 | 155.0 (+2.3) | 7.13 |
| 2024.08 | 246.1 (cycle peak) |
252.2 | 216.0 (SC25 peak) | 156.8 (+1.8) | 15.96 |
| 2024.09 | 195.7 | 197.8 | 141.1 | 159.4 (+1.6) | 15.36 |
| 2024.10 | 221.0 | 219.6 | 165.8 | 160.9 (+1.5) (SC25 solar max) | 18.99 |
| 2024.11 | 199.6 | 195.3 | 154.1 | 157.1 (-3.8) | 9.33 |
| 2024.12 | 197.3 | 191.2 | 154.6 | 151.3 (-5.8) | 8.42 |
| 2025.01 | 190.3 | 184.2 | 137.0 | 146.3 (-5.0) | 13.17 |
| 2025.02 | 184.2 | 179.7 | 155.7 | (139.4 projected, -6.9) | 14.42 |
| 2025.03 | 163.7 | 162.1 | 134.2 | (133.4 projected, -6.0) | 15.96 |
| 2025.04 | 162.5 | 163.6 | 140.6 | (129.3 projected, -4.1) | 17.62 |
| 2025.05 | 135.3 | 138.3 | 79.2 | (124.4 projected, -4.9) | 17.26 |
| 2025.06 | 131.3 | 135.4 | 116.3 | (119.6 projected, -4.8) | 21.43 |
| 2025.07 | 137.8 | 142.3 | 125.6 | (115.6 projected, -4.0) | 11.80 |
| 2025.08 | 148.8 (1) | 53.8 (2A) / 138.9 (2B) / 159.0 (2C) | (110.9 projected, -4.7) | (13.6) | |
| 2025.09 | (106.5 projected, -4.4) | ||||
| 2025.10 | (102.6 projected, -3.9) | ||||
| 2025.11 | (100.3 projected, -2.3) | ||||
| 2025.12 | (98.7 projected, -1.6) | ||||
| 2026.01 | (94.6 projected, -4.1) | ||||
1) Running average based on the daily 20:00 UTC observed solar flux value
at 2800 MHz and any corrections applied to that measurement.
2A) Current impact on the monthly sunspot number based on the Boulder
(NOAA/SWPC) sunspot number (accumulated daily sunspots / month days).
2B) Boulder SN current month average to date.
2C) STAR SDO 1K Wolf number 27 day average.
3) Running average based on the quicklook and definitive Potsdam WDC ap
indices. Values in red
are based on the definitive international
GFZ Potsdam WDC ap
indices.
4) Source: WDC-SILSO, Royal Observatory
Of Belgium, Brussels
Sunspot activity has been on a decreasing trend since September
2024 (using the average solar flux over 3 solar rotations as a proxy).
Compared to the peak of SC25 solar flux has been at a low level in both May
and June 2025. Taking a closer look at the 81 day (3 solar rotations)
average solar flux proxy, its peak was in early September 2024 and had on
May 12 decreased to less than half of the solar cycle flux range.
Subtracting the 81 day average of approximately 69 at solar cycle minimum
from all measurements, the SC25 range is 0 - 158.3.
All 365 day smoothed sunspot numbers peaked on October 11-12, 2024,
very likely making this the peak of SC25 (365 day smoothed peaks: STAR 1K: 236.1, STAR 2K: 364.3, NOAA SN: 156.0, ISN: 163.9). The 365d
smoothed solar flux peaked on October 13, 2024, just 1.7% below the SC23
peak, and 62.6% above the SC24 peak.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This report has been prepared by Jan Alvestad. It is based on the analysis of data from whichever sources are available at the time the report is prepared. All time references are to Universal Time. Comments and suggestions are always welcome.
SDO images are courtesy of NASA/SDO and the AIA, EVE, and HMI science teams.
