The geomagnetic field was at quiet to unsettled levels on October 17 due to weak CME effects. The disturbance has intensified early on October 18 and could cause unsettled to major storm geomagnetic levels. Solar wind speed at SOHO ranged between 386 and 452 km/sec, averaging 409 km/sec (-39 km/sec compared to the previous day). The high latitude magnetometer at Andenes recorded quiet to unsettled 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
160.6 -
increasing 0.7
over the previous solar rotation.
The 365 day average solar flux at 1 AU was 165.09 (183 days ago). The 81 day
average solar flux at 1 AU was 154.8 (41 days ago, this is 54.2% 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 9 (STAR Ap - based on the average of three hour interval ap indices: 8.8). Three hour interval K indices: 21232321 (planetary), 22243412 (Boulder), 22122322 (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 17 active regions using 2K resolution (SN: 319) and in 13 active regions using 1K resolution (SN: 197) SDO/HMI images.
AR 14246 [N23W77] rotated partly out of view.
The region was unstable, has multiple magnetic delta configurations and
produced many C and M flares. There's a chance of a major flare until the
region is 1-2 days behind the northwest limb.
AR 14248 [N05W41] decayed slowly and quietly. Note that SWPC/USAF
made a mistake and swapped region numbers on October 12 for this AR and AR
14250. The original numbering will be kept here for data consistency and
integrity reasons.
AR 14249 [S18W41] decayed slowly and quietly.
AR 14250 [N07W55] decayed losing spots. M class flaring is still possible.
AR 14252 [S13W00] gained spots and was mostly quiet.
AR 14254 [N10E33] was quiet and stable.
AR 14255 [S08E27] decayed slowly and quietly.
AR 14256 [S14E52] has polarity intermixing and a small
magnetic delta configuration in the leading penumbra. A minor M class flare is possible.
New AR 14257 [S08E75] rotated into view with a mature spot.
Spotted regions not observed (or interpreted
differently) by SWPC/USAF:
S11525 [S23W12] reemerged with tiny spots.
S11531 [N15E15] decayed slowly and quietly.
S11532 [S15W26] developed slowly and quietly.
New AR S11533 [N06E43] emerged before noon and then decayed
slowly.
New AR S11535 [S20E01] emerged with tiny spots
before noon, then decayed slowly.
New AR S11536 [S12E76] rotated into view just south of AR 14257.
New AR S11537 [N06E29] emerged with a tiny spot.
New AR S11538 [N11E72] rotated into view with a tiny spot.
C2+ flares
| Magnitude | Peak time (UT) | Location | Source | Recorded by | Comment |
| C2.4 | 00:41 | 14246 | GOES18 | ||
| C2.4 | 00:52 | 14246 | GOES18 | ||
| C2.3 | 01:00 | 14256 | GOES18 | ||
| C2.4 | 01:12 | 14246 | GOES18 | ||
| C3.0 | 01:18 | 14256 | GOES18 | ||
| M1.5/1F | 01:28 | N24W66 | 14246 | GOES18 | simultaneous flare in AR 14256 |
| C4.2 | 02:16 | 14246 | GOES18 | ||
| C3.8 | 02:28 | 14246 | GOES18 | ||
| C2.4 | 03:01 | 14252 | GOES18 | ||
| C3.4 | 03:22 | 14246 | GOES18 | ||
| C3.5 | 03:41 | 14246 | GOES18 | ||
| C2.7 | 04:44 | 14246 | GOES18 | ||
| C2.8 | 04:54 | 14246 | GOES18 | ||
| C3.5 | 05:42 | 14246 | GOES18 | ||
| C8.0 | 05:54 | 14250 | GOES18 | ||
| C5.7 | 06:42 | 14246 | GOES18 | ||
| C7.1 | 06:51 | 14246 | GOES18 | ||
| C7.1 | 07:29 | 14246 | GOES18 | simultaneous flare in AR 14256 | |
| C4.1 | 09:50 | 14246 | GOES18 | simultaneous flare in AR 14256 | |
| C6.7 | 10:20 | 14246 | GOES19 | ||
| C6.5 | 10:37 | 14246 | GOES19 | ||
| C7.2 | 10:42 | 14246 | GOES19 | ||
| C5.3 | 11:21 | 14246 | GOES19 | ||
| C4.8 | 11:35 | southeast limb | 14257 | GOES19 | |
| C6.2 | 12:06 | 14246 | GOES18 | ||
| C5.5 | 12:13 | 14246 | GOES18 | ||
| M1.1 | 12:45 | 14246 | GOES18 | ||
| C8.5 | 13:12 | 14246 | GOES18 | ||
| C3.3 | 13:46 | 14246 | GOES18 | ||
| C2.9 | 14:05 | 14246 | GOES18 | ||
| M1.0 | 14:32 | N22W75 | 14246 | GOES18 | |
| C5.6 | 14:44 | 14256 | GOES18 | ||
| C5.8 | 15:01 | 14246 | GOES18 | ||
| C4.5 | 15:57 | 14246 | GOES18 | ||
| C4.5 | 16:13 | 14246 | GOES18 | ||
| M1.3 | 16:31 | 14246 | GOES18 | ||
| M1.2 | 16:57 | 14256 | GOES18 | ||
| M1.0 | 17:31 | 14246 | GOES18 | ||
| C9.5 | 17:59 | 14246 | GOES18 | ||
| C6.4 | 18:36 | 14256 | GOES18 | ||
| M1.1 | 19:05 | 14246 | GOES18 | ||
| C4.6 | 19:43 | 14246 | GOES18 | ||
| C4.6 | 20:35 | 14246 | GOES18 | ||
| C4.5 | 20:41 | 14246 | GOES18 | ||
| C6.8 | 21:11 | 14246 | GOES18 | ||
| C5.8 | 21:29 | 14246 | GOES18 | ||
| C7.0 | 21:35 | 14246 | GOES18 | ||
| C4.6 | 22:19 | 14256 | GOES18 | ||
| C4.5 | 22:47 | 14246 | GOES18 | ||
| C9.0 | 23:30 | 14246 | GOES18 | ||
| C7.8 | 23:33 | 14256 | GOES18 | ||
| C3.8 | 23:46 | 14256 | GOES18 |
October 16-17: No obviously Earth directed CMEs observed in available
coronagraph imagery.
October 15: AR 14246 was the source of multiple CMEs. Only one of
them appears to have Earth directed components and was associated with a
long duration M1.1 event peaking at 14:10 UT. Although the main body of the
CME is not Earth directed, some effects are likely on October 18.
[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 negative polarity northern hemisphere coronal hole (CH1323) will be Earth facing on October 15-18.
The geomagnetic field is expected to be at unsettled to major storm levels on October 18 due to CME effects. October 19-21 could see quiet to minor storm levels due to effects associated with CH1323.
| 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 | ||||||||||
| 14246 | 2025.10.05 2025.10.06 |
16 | 25 | 14 | N24W81 | 0700 | EKC | FKC |
 |
 |
beta-gamma-delta was AR S11505 location: N23W77 |
| 14249 | 2025.10.08 2025.10.09 |
6 | S20W50 | 0010 | BXO |
 |
 |
was AR S11508 location: S18W41 |
|||
| 14248 | 2025.10.09 2025.10.10 |
10 | 2 | 1 | N07W54 | 0380 | EKI | BXO |
 |
 |
area: 0005 location: N05W41 SWPC swapped
data for ARs |
| 14250 | 2025.10.09 2025.10.10 |
1 | 27 | 11 | N04W45 | 0010 | AXX | EKO |
 |
 |
beta-gamma was AR S11511 area: 0730 location: N07W55 |
| 14251 | 2025.10.10 2025.10.12 |
N19W29 |
 |
was AR S11514 location: N19W37 |
|||||||
| S11515 | 2025.10.10 | N18W58 | |||||||||
| 14253 | 2025.10.11 2025.10.12 |
S17W80 |
 |
was AR S11516 location: S16W73 |
|||||||
| 14252 | 2025.10.11 2025.10.12 |
3 | 27 | 13 | S13E01 | 0100 | CSO | DSO |
 |
 |
was AR S11517 area: 0230 location: S13W00 |
| S11518 | 2025.10.12 | S23W24 | |||||||||
| S11520 | 2025.10.12 | N10W12 | |||||||||
| S11522 | 2025.10.13 | N12W37 | |||||||||
| 14254 | 2025.10.13 2025.10.14 |
1 | 1 | 1 | N11E33 | 0060 | HSX | HSX |
 |
 |
was AR S11523 area: 0130 location: N10E33 |
| S11524 | 2025.10.13 | S04E06 | |||||||||
| S11525 | 2025.10.13 | 6 | 1 | S23W12 | 0010 | BXO |
 |
||||
| 14255 | 2025.10.14 2025.10.16 |
2 | 7 | 2 | S08E26 | 0010 | BXO | BXO |
 |
 |
was AR S11526 location: S08E27 |
| S11528 | 2025.10.15 | N28W35 | |||||||||
| 14256 | 2025.10.15 2025.10.16 |
6 | 24 | 12 | S15E52 | 0060 | CSO | DAI |
 |
 |
beta-gamma-delta was AR S11529 area: 0200 location: S14E52 |
| S11530 | 2025.10.16 | N22E36 |
 |
||||||||
| S11531 | 2025.10.16 | 1 | 1 | N15E15 | 0003 | AXX |
 |
 |
|||
| S11532 | 2025.10.16 | 15 | 7 | S15W26 | 0040 | BXI |
 |
 |
|||
| S11533 | 2025.10.17 | 1 | N06E43 | 0003 | AXX |
 |
|||||
| 14257 | 2025.10.17 | 1 | 1 | 1 | S08E75 | 0060 | HSX | HSX |
 |
was AR S11534 area: 0170 |
|
| S11535 | 2025.10.17 | 2 | 1 | S20E01 | 0004 | AXX |
 |
||||
| S11536 | 2025.10.17 | 2 | 2 | S12E76 | 0070 | HRX |
 |
||||
| S11537 | 2025.10.17 | 1 | N06E29 | 0002 | AXX |
 |
|||||
| S11538 | 2025.10.17 | 1 | N11E72 | 0001 | AXX |
 |
|||||
| Total spot count: | 40 | 149 | 67 | ||||||||
| Sunspot number: | 120 | 319 | 197 | (total spot count + 10 * number of spotted regions) | |||||||
| Weighted SN: | 80 | 192 | 110 | (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): | 132 | 175 | 158 | ||||||||
| Month | Average solar flux | International sunspot number (WDC-SILSO) |
Smoothed sunspot number (4) | Average
ap (3) |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Measured | 1 AU | ||||
| 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 | 139.9 (-6.4) | 14.42 |
| 2025.03 | 163.7 | 162.1 | 134.2 | 136.0 (-3.9) | 15.96 |
| 2025.04 | 162.5 | 163.6 | 140.6 | (133.7 projected, -2.3) | 17.62 |
| 2025.05 | 135.3 | 138.3 | 79.2 | (130.1 projected, -3.6) | 17.26 |
| 2025.06 | 131.3 | 135.4 | 116.3 | (126.3 projected, -3.8) | 21.43 |
| 2025.07 | 137.8 | 142.3 | 125.6 | (123.0 projected, -3.3) | 11.80 |
| 2025.08 | 154.9 | 158.7 | 133.6 | (119.4 projected, -3.6) | 9.97 |
| 2025.09 | 154.4 | 156.0 | 129.6 | (115.5 projected, -3.9) | 14.1 |
| 2025.10 | 147.1 (1) | 65.7 (2A) / 119.8 (2B) / 167.3 (2C) | (111.5 projected, -4.0) | (16.8) | |
| 2025.11 | (109.3 projected, -2.2) | ||||
| 2025.12 | (107.6 projected, -1.7) | ||||
| 2026.01 | (103.5 projected, -4.1) | ||||
| 2026.02 | (99.4 projected, -4.1) | ||||
| 2026.03 | (95.0 projected, -4.4) | ||||
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.
