Solar Terrestrial Activity Report

Activity chart

Last major update issued on September 12, 2025 at 05:40 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 (September 1, 2025)
Solar cycle Solar cycles 23-25 (September 1, 2025) Historical solar and geomagnetic data charts 1954-2006 (April 5, 2007)
  Cycle 24-25 progress (September 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 (September 1, 2025) 3rd SSN Workshop, Tucson, 2013
  Comparison of cycles 12-14, 16, 24-25 (September 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 quiet to active levels on September 11 under the weakening influence of effects associated with CH1315. Solar wind speed at SOHO ranged between 387 and 514 km/sec (-62 km/sec compared to the previous day). The high latitude magnetometer at Andenes recorded quiet to minor 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 115.2 - decreasing 7.6 over the previous solar rotation. The 365 day average solar flux at 1 AU was 169.88 (183 days ago). The 81 day average solar flux at 1 AU was 148.3 (41 days ago, this is 50.1% 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: 8.6). Three hour interval K indices: 43211212 (planetary), 33322212 (Boulder), 44423225 (Andenes).

The background x-ray flux is at the class B6 level (GOES 19).

At the time of counting spots (see image time), spots were observed in 9 active regions using 2K resolution (SN: 140) and in 9 active regions using 1K resolution (SN: 116) SDO/HMI images.

AR 14207 [N27W85] decayed slowly and was the source of most of the flare activity during the day. C1 flares: C1.1 @ 03:26, C1.0 @ 04:08, C1.2 @ 05:07, C1.2 @ 05:33, C1.0 @ 05:59, C1.3 @ 06:20, C1.4 @ 06:26, C1.2 @ 06:34, C1.2 @ 06:54, C1.0 @ 08:36, C1.6 @ 16:01, C1.9 @ 17:07, C1.2 @ 19:03, C1.8 @ 19:48 UT
AR 14210 [N06W68] was quiet and stable.
AR 14211 [S14W49] was quiet and stable.
AR 14213 [S15W40] decayed slowly and was quiet.
AR 14214 [N04W66] decayed slowly and quietly.
AR 14215 [N23W40] decayed slowly and quietly.
New AR 14216 [N09E77] began to rotate into view on September 10 and was numbered the next day by SWPC. A few low level C flares were recorded. C1 flares: C1.0 @ 19:24, C1.0 @ 22:29 UT

Spotted regions not observed (or interpreted differently) by SWPC/USAF:
S11422 [N20E20] was quiet and stable.
New AR S11424 [N09E38] was observed with tiny spots in an old plage area.

C2+ flares

Magnitude Peak time (UT) Location Source Recorded by Comment
C7.6 15:21 N27W76 14207 GOES18  

Coronal mass ejections (CMEs)

September 9-10: No obviously Earth directed CMEs.
September 11: A faint partial halo CME was observed after a filament eruption in the central southern hemisphere. The CME was visible in LASCO imagery after 09:36 UT and could reach Earth on September 14.

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 positive polarity southern hemisphere coronal hole (CH1315) was in an Earth facing position on September 2-7. A large recurrent trans equatorial negative polarity coronal hole (CH1316) will rotate across the central meridian on September 10-13.

Forecast

The geomagnetic field is expected to be at quiet levels on September 12. September 13-16 could see quiet to minor storm levels due to effects from CH1316, major storm intervals are possible on September 13. The September 11 CME could reach Earth on September 14 and contribute to the CH1316 related disturbance.

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
14207 2025.08.29
2025.08.30
3 4 1 N28W86 0080 CSO CAO

was AR S11394

location: N27W85

area: 0150

14211 2025.09.01
2025.09.02
1 4 3 S14W50 0110 HSX CSO was AR S11401

area: 0200

location: S14W49

14210 2025.09.01
2025.09.02
1 1 1 N07W68 0010 AXX HRX was AR S11402

location: N06W68

14213 2025.09.06
2025.09.06
6 15 8 S15W39 0200 DAO DAO

was AR S11410

area: 0230

location: S15W40

S11411 2025.09.06       N08W37            
S11412 2025.09.07       N16W30            
S11413 2025.09.07       S00W36          
14214 2025.09.08
2025.09.09
5 6 4 N05W67 0030 CRO BXO was AR S11414

area: 0020

location: N04W66

S11415 2025.09.08       N09W52            
S11416 2025.09.08       S07W39            
14215 2025.09.08
2025.09.10
3 6 3 N24W41 0010 BXO BXO was AR S11417

area: 0013

location: N23W40

S11418 2025.09.08       N23E28          
S11419 2025.09.08       S10W03            
S11420 2025.09.09       S32W09            
S11421 2025.09.09       S08E22          
S11422 2025.09.10   4 2 N20E20 0010   BXO  
14216 2025.09.10
2025.09.11
3 6 3 N09E77 0100 DSO CAO was AR S11423

area: 0490

S11424 2025.09.11   4 1 N09E38 0010   AXX    
Total spot count: 22 50 26  
Sunspot number: 92 140 116  (total spot count + 10 * number of spotted regions)
Weighted SN: 45 73 49  (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): 101 77 93  

Monthly solar cycle data

Month Average solar flux International sunspot number
(WDC-SILSO)
Smoothed sunspot number (4) Average ap
(3)
Measured 1 AU
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  184.2 179.7 155.7 139.9 (-6.4) 14.42
2025.03 163.7 162.1 134.2 (135.6 projected, -4.3) 15.96
2025.04 162.5 163.6 140.6 (132.5 projected, -3.1) 17.62
2025.05  135.3 138.3 79.2 (127.6 projected, -4.9) 17.26
2025.06 131.3 135.4 116.3 (122.8 projected, -4.8) 21.43
2025.07 137.8 142.3 125.6 (118.9 projected, -3.9) 11.80
2025.08 154.9 158.7 133.6 (114.1 projected, -4.8) 9.8
2025.09 149.9 (1)   43.8 (2A) / 119.5 (2B) / 144.3 (2C) (109.7 projected, -4.4) (13.1)
2025.10       (105.8 projected, -3.9)  
2025.11       (103.6 projected, -2.2)  
2025.12       (101.9 projected, -1.7)  
2026.01       (97.8 projected, -4.1)  
2026.02       (93.7 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

Solar cycles 24-25

Smoothed SF and sunspot numbers

Update on the progress of solar cycle 25 as of June 23, 2025

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.

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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.