NOAA alert: Strongest solar flare event ever recorded will soon cause disruptions on Earth
By
Eric Ralls
Earth.com staff writer
The NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center has issued a geomagnetic storm warning on the heels of a massive solar event this morning. This solar flare stands as the
largest of this solar cycle and the biggest since the
X8.2 flare observed at GOES-15 on Sep 10, 2017. This also likely ranks as one of the largest solar radio events ever recorded.
Meteorologists predict moderate space weather for the next 24 hours, with geomagnetic storms likely to reach G2 level. Expect solar radiation storms to hit S1 level and radio blackouts to likely reach R2 level.
From the beginning until the middle of December 16, weather should remain quiet to unsettled. However, multiple CMEs from December 14-15 will likely arrive by mid to late December 16, increasing conditions to G2 (Moderate) and possibly to G3 (Strong). Storming should continue into December 17 and gradually decrease through December 18 as the effects of the CMEs persist.
*** Update — December 15, 2023, 20:25 EST ***
Multiple coronal mass ejections (
CMEs) from December 14 and December 15 are likely to cause G1-G2 (Minor-Moderate) geomagnetic storm conditions on December 16 through December 18, 2023.
Solar activity is likely to be moderate (R1-R2/Minor-Moderate) with a chance for X-class flares (R3/Strong) on December 16-18 due primarily to the flare potential of Region 3514.
Over the past 24 hours, radio blackouts have escalated to R3 levels, with the most severe occurring on December 14, 2023, at 1702 UTC. It is anticipated that by the early hours of December 16, there will be an additional increase due to the effects of a Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) from a partial halo event that occurred on December 12.