The geomagnetic field was at very quiet levels. Solar wind speed at SOHO ranged between 424 and 493 km/sec, averaging 454 km/sec (-27 km/sec compared to the previous day). The high latitude magnetometer at Andenes was at quiet to unsettled levels. The above 10 MeV proton flux peaked at 6.5 pfu at 10:40 UT and was just above 2 pfu at the end of the UT day.
Solar flux density measured at 20h UT on 2.8 GHz was 124.3 - decreasing 24.0 over the previous solar rotation.
The 365 day average solar flux at 1 AU was 138.94 (183 days ago). The 81 day average solar flux at 1 AU was 134.2 (41 days ago, this is 41.2% 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 3 (STAR Ap - based on the average of three hour interval ap indices: 2.8). Three hour interval K indices: 11011110 (planetary), 10012411 (Boulder), 30121111 (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 8 active regions using 2K resolution (SN: 160) and in 7 active regions using 1K resolution (SN: 106) SDO/HMI images.
AR 14508 [N10W77] decayed slowly and was mostly quiet.
C1 flares: C1.0 @ 22:28 UT
AR 14513 [N03E38] displayed surprisingly little activity taking into
account that the region still has 2 magnetic delta configurations. A major flare is possible.
C1 flares: C1.0 @ 00:19, C1.2 @ 01:25, C1.0 @ 02:57, C1.2 @ 08:17, C1.3 @
08:43, C1.1 @ 13:26, C1.4 @ 18:23 UT
AR 14515 [S08E50] was quiet and stable.
New AR 14516 [N16W29] emerged on August 21 and was numbered the next
day by SWPC as the region began to display decay.
New AR 14517 [N09E26] emerged on August 21 and developed slowly on
August 22 when a NOAA number was assigned.
Spotted regions not observed (or interpreted
differently) by SWPC/USAF:
AR S12298 [S11W41] lost the leader spots and
was quiet.
AR S12301 [N22W12] was quiet and stable.
AR S12305 [S04W06] was quiet and stable.
AR 14507 behind the northwest limb produced a C1.0 flare at 05:10 and a C1.7 flare at 09:50 UT
C2+ flares
| Magnitude | Peak time (UT) | Location | Source | Recorded by | Comment |
August 20, 22: No obviously Earth directed CMEs were observed in
available coronagraph imagery.
August 21: It's not likely there will be any significant disturbance
related to the large and wide CME observed after the M1 long duration event
in AR 14507 at the west limb. However, coronagraph imagery does display
ejecta around the solar disc in all directions. While the main ejecta is not
headed towards Earth, there is a slight chance of a weak solar wind shock on
August 24.
[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 positive polarity trans equatorial coronal hole (CH1395) will be Earth facing on August 24-25.
The geomagnetic field is expected to be at quiet levels on August 23-26 with a minor chance of weak effects on August 24 related to the August 21 CME. Effects associated with CH1395 could cause unsettled to minor storm levels on August 27-28.
| 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 | ||||||||||
| 14508 | 2026.08.10 2026.08.11 |
1 | 1 | N10W77 | 0006 | AXX |
 |
 |
was AR S12284 |
||
| 14511 | 2026.08.12 2026.08.13 |
S09W58 |
was AR S12291 location: S11W45 |
||||||||
| S12298 | 2026.08.15 | 4 | 1 | S11W41 | 0006 | AXX |
 |
 |
|||
| 14514 | 2026.08.17 2026.08.20 |
S10W84 |
 |
was AR S12300 location: S09W84 |
|||||||
| S12301 | 2026.08.18 | 5 | N22W12 | 0006 | BXO |
 |
 |
||||
| 14513 | 2026.08.19 2026.08.19 |
45 | 25 | N04E41 | FAC |
 |
 |
beta-gamma-delta was AR S12302 area: 0450 location: N03E38 |
|||
| S12304 | 2026.08.19 | N05E30 | |||||||||
| S12305 | 2026.08.19 | 8 | 1 | S04W06 | 0010 | BXO |
 |
 |
|||
| 14515 | 2026.08.20 2026.08.21 |
1 | 1 | S08E50 | HSX |
 |
 |
was AR S12306 area: 0060 |
|||
| S12307 | 2026.08.20 | S28W37 |
 |
||||||||
| S12308 | 2026.08.20 | S16W09 | |||||||||
| 14517 | 2026.08.21 2026.08.22 |
9 | 5 | N09E26 | 0030 | CRI |
 |
 |
was AR S12309 | ||
| S12310 | 2026.08.21 | N06E12 |
 |
||||||||
| 14516 | 2026.08.21 2026.08.22 |
7 | 2 | N16W29 | 0014 | BXO |
 |
 |
was AR S12311 | ||
| Total spot count: | 80 | 36 | |||||||||
| Sunspot number: | 160 | 106 | (total spot count + 10 * number of spotted regions) | ||||||||
| Weighted SN: | 93 | 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): | 88 | 85 | |||||||||
| 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) |
| 2024.08 | 246.1 (SC25 peak) |
252.2 | 216.0 (SC25 peak) | 156.8 (+1.8) | 15.96 |
| 2024.10 | 221.0 | 219.6 | 165.8 | 160.9 (+1.5) (SC25 solar max) | 18.99 |
| 2025.05 | 135.3 | 138.3 | 78.5 | 128.6 (-4.7) | 17.26 |
| 2025.06 | 131.3 | 135.4 | 114.6 | 124.7 (-3.9) | 21.43 |
| 2025.07 | 137.8 | 142.3 | 125.9 | 122.5 (-2.2) | 11.80 |
| 2025.08 | 154.9 | 158.7 | 133.7 | 118.4 (-4.1) | 9.97 |
| 2025.09 | 154.4 | 156.0 | 129.7 | 113.1 (-5.3) | 14.02 |
| 2025.10 | 139.5 | 138.6 | 114.6 | 108.5 (-4.6) | 15.64 |
| 2025.11 | 140.3 | 137.3 | 91.7 | 106.9 (-1.6) | 21.01 |
| 2025.12 | 160.8 | 155.8 | 124.0 | 107.0 (-0.1) | 13.35 |
| 2026.01 | 148.7 | 144.0 | 115.0 | 104.2 (-2.8) | 22.47 |
| 2026.02 | 136.4 | 133.1 | 77.4 | (99.7 projected, -4.5) | 12.88 |
| 2026.03 | 131.0 | 129.7 | 86.6 | (94.6 projected, -5.1) | 15.44 |
| 2026.04 | 120.0 | 120.9 | 79.3 | (90.7 projected, -3.9) | 12.10 |
| 2026.05 | 125.4 | 128.2 | 101.4 | (89.5 projected, -1.2) | 9.80 |
| 2026.06 | 137.9 | 142.2 | 94.3 | (87.4 projected, -2.1) | 9.57 |
| 2026.07 | 134.7 | 139.0 | 78.1 | (82.8 projected, -4.6) | 10.16 |
| 2026.08 | 114.2 (1) | 57.2 (2A) / 80.6 (2B) / 99.5 (2C) ISN average to date: 78.5. At this level the SSN for February 2026 would become 99.9 |
(80.6 projected, -2.2) | (9.6) | |
| 2026.09 | (79.7 projected, -0.9) | ||||
| 2026.10 | (77.7 projected, -2.0) | ||||
| 2026.11 | (74.8 projected, -2.9) | ||||
| 2026.12 | (71.6 projected, -3.2) | ||||
| 2027.01 | (69.3 projected, -2.3) | ||||
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 activity appears to have exited the solar max phase as of February
2026 with a strong decrease in the number of sunspots observed. The northern
polar field has weakened considerably over the last months, and although
there is a chance the the field could recover over the next 1-2 years, there
is an increasing chance that solar cycle 26 will be very weak. The southern
polar field is not impressive either, however, a southern polar coronal hole
has formed early in 2026 and appears to be growing.
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.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
