Solar Terrestrial Activity Report

Activity chart

Last major update issued on November 28, 2025 at 06:45 UT.

Charts (* = updated daily) Data and archive
  Solar wind (*) Solar and geomagnetic data - last month (*)
  Electron fluence (*) Archived daily reports and monthly data since 2003.01 (November 1, 2025)
Solar cycle Solar cycles 23-25 (November 1, 2025) Historical solar and geomagnetic data charts 1954-2006 (April 5, 2007)
  Cycle 24-25 progress (November 1, 2025) Noon SDO sunspot count 1K image / 4K (*)
  Solar cycles 1-24 (August 1, 2020) POES auroral activity level [October 2009 - December 2012]
  Comparison of cycles 21-25 (November 1, 2025) 3rd SSN Workshop, Tucson, 2013
  Comparison of cycles 12-14, 16, 24-25 (November 1, 2025) 4th SSN Workshop, Locarno, 2014
  Solar polar fields vs. solar cycles (August 17, 2025) Cycle 25 initial spots (final update December 25, 2019)
  Solar cycles 24-25 transition using 365d smoothing  

Recent activity

The geomagnetic field was at unsettled to active levels on November 27 under the influence of effects associated with CH1332. Solar wind speed at SOHO ranged between 626 and 768 km/sec, averaging 698 km/sec (-45 km/sec compared to the previous day). The high latitude magnetometer at Andenes was at unsettled to severe 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 120.9 - increasing 5.5 over the previous solar rotation.

The 365 day average solar flux at 1 AU was 157.64 (183 days ago). The 81 day average solar flux at 1 AU was 141.3 (41 days ago, this is 45.7% 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: 195.9 on October 13, 2024.

The Potsdam WDC planetary A index was 26 (STAR Ap - based on the average of three hour interval ap indices: 25.6). Three hour interval K indices: 33444444 (planetary), 24544333 (Boulder), 55554376 (Andenes).

The background x-ray flux is at the class C2 level (GOES 19).

At the time of counting spots (see image time), spots were observed in 10 active regions using 2K resolution (SN: 196) and in 8 active regions using 1K resolution (SN: 131) SDO/HMI images.

AR 14286 [S16W62] decayed quickly losing mature penumbra and nearly all spots. C1 flares: C1.1 @ 01:43, C1.2 @ 09:36 UT
AR 14287 [N00W39] decayed slowly and quietly.
AR 14288 [N17W18] developed as new flux emerged just north of the main spot.
AR 14290 [S09W06] decayed slowly and was mostly quiet. C1 flares: C1.0 @ 10:45 UT
AR 14291 [S13W01] lost the magnetic delta and gained many tiny spots. C1 flares: C1.1 @ 04:30, C1.1 @ 04:44, C1.1 @ 07:25 UT

Spotted regions not observed (or interpreted differently) by SWPC/USAF:
AR S11634 [S18W27] was quiet and stable.
AR S11638 [N26W22] was quiet and stable.
AR S11639 [N09E44] reemerged with tiny spots.
AR S11640 [S10E39] decayed slowly and quietly.
New AR S11641 [N02W42] emerged before noon as a bipolar group, then decayed slowly.

An active region (AR S11642) is rotating into view at the southeast limb early on November 28. This AR (and maybe returning old ARs 14275 and 14274 behind the northeast limb) is contributing to a significant increase in the background x-ray flux. M class flaring is possible. AR S11642 produced several C1 flares: C1.2 @ 08:50, C1.3 @ 12:21, C1.8 @ 13:21, C1.4 @ 16:22, C1.2 @ 17:18, C1.1 @ 18:32, C1.2 @ 19:32, C1.8 @ 20:55 UT

C2+ flares

Magnitude Peak time (UT) Location Source Recorded by Comment
C2.7 00:47 S15E14 14291 GOES18  
C2.0 21:09   S11642 GOES18  
C3.0 21:50 S14E90 S11642 GOES18  
C2.5 23:40 S16E90 S11642 GOES18  

Coronal mass ejections (CMEs)

November 25-27: No obviously Earth directed CMEs were observed in available coronagraph imagery. Many CMEs were observed from active regions behind the northeast limb.

Coronal holes

[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]

A recurrent trans equatorial positive polarity coronal hole (CH1332) was Earth facing on November 22-24. A recurrent northern hemisphere negative polarity coronal hole (CH1333) could become Earth facing on November 30 - December 2. CH1333 has decayed over the last days due to small emerging active regions, one of which is AR S11639.

Forecast

The geomagnetic field is expected to be at unsettled to active levels on November 28 due to effects associated with CH1332 and quiet to unsettled on November 29-30.

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.

Active solar regions



(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
14286 2025.11.16
2025.11.18
  5 1 S15W75 0030   CRO

was AR S11613

location: S16W62

14287 2025.11.18
2025.11.19
1 4 3 N01W41 0020 HRX CRO was AR S11622

location: N00W39

14289 2025.11.19
2025.11.21
      S02W32           was AR S11623

location: S03W29

14288 2025.11.20
2025.11.20
2 29 13 N17W19 0110 HSX DSI

was AR S11626

area: 0200

location: N17W18

14290 2025.11.20
2025.11.21
1 6 2 S10W08 0030 HSX CSO

was AR S11627

area: 0100

location: S09W06

14291 2025.11.21
2025.11.22
14 41 28 S14W01 0120 DAI DSI beta-gamma

was AR S11630

area: 0270

location: S13W01

S11632 2025.11.21       N09W51            
14293 2025.11.22
2025.11.24
      N08E02         was AR S11633

location: N08E05

14292 2025.11.23 8     S16W60 0080 DAI       ref. AR 14286
S11634 2025.11.23   1   S18W27 0002   AXX  
S11635 2025.11.24       N16W47            
S11636 2025.11.24       N09W49            
S11638 2025.11.25   3 1 N26W22 0005   BXO  
S11639 2025.11.25   2 2 N09E44 0007   BXO  

 

 
S11640 2025.11.26   4   S10E39 0005   AXX  
S11641 2025.11.27   1 1 N02W42 0003   AXX    
Total spot count: 26 96 51  
Sunspot number: 76 196 131  (total spot count + 10 * number of spotted regions)
Weighted SN: 49 117 72  (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): 83 108 105  

Monthly solar cycle data

Month Average solar flux International sunspot number
(WDC-SILSO)
Smoothed sunspot number (4) Average ap
(3)
Measured 1 AU
2024.05 187.7 191.9 172.1 149.1 (+4.6) 23.56
(SC25 peak)
2024.07 196.6 203.0 196.8 155.0 (+2.3) 7.13
2024.08  246.1
(SC25 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
2024.11 199.6 195.3 154.1 157.2 (-3.7) 9.33
2024.12 197.3 191.2 154.6 151.2 (-6.0) 8.42
2025.01 190.3 184.2 137.0 146.2 (-5.0) 13.17
2025.02  184.2 179.7 155.7 139.8 (-6.4) 14.42
2025.03 163.7 162.1 134.2 135.9 (-3.9) 15.96
2025.04 162.5 163.6 141.4 133.3 (-2.6) 17.62
2025.05  135.3 138.3 78.5 (128.5 projected, -4.8) 17.26
2025.06 131.3 135.4 114.6 (123.8 projected, -4.7) 21.43
2025.07 137.8 142.3 125.6 (120.6 projected, -3.2) 11.80
2025.08 154.9 158.7 133.5 (117.0 projected, -3.6) 9.97
2025.09 154.4 156.0 129.8 (113.1 projected, -3.9) 14.02
2025.10 139.5 138.6 114.6 (109.1 projected, -4.0) 15.64
2025.11 138.4 (1)   79.7 (2A) / 88.5 (2B) / 112.0 (2C)
ISN average to date: 95
At this level the May 2025 SSN
will become 128.7
(106.8 projected, -2.3) (21.7)
2025.12       (105.3 projected, -1.5)  
2026.01       (101.2 projected, -4.1)  
2026.02       (97.1 projected, -4.1)  
2026.03       (92.8 projected, -4.3)  
2026.04       (89.0 projected, -3.8)  

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

Solar cycles 24-25

Smoothed SF and sunspot numbers

Update on the progress of solar cycle 25 as of October 2025

Sunspot activity was on a decreasing trend from September 2024 until mid August 2025 (using the average solar flux over 3 solar rotations as a proxy). Then a strong surge in activity saw solar flux peak in late August 2025 just below the largest peaks seen in 2024. A slow decrease in activity from the August level has been observed in September and October 2025.

All 365 day smoothed sunspot numbers reached a maximum on October 11-12, 2024
. This became the peak of SC25 (365 day smoothed peaks: STAR 1K: 236.1, STAR 2K: 364.3, NOAA SN: 156.0, ISN: 163.9), while the 365d smoothed solar flux peaked on October 13, 2024, just 1.7% below the SC23 peak, and 62.6% above the SC24 peak.

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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.