[GCARC] Solar flare update (FYI)

[Jim n2gxj]

An update on that solar flare:  according to https://spaceweather.com/ :

Sunspot 3514 erupted on Dec. 14th (1702 UT), producing a strong X2.8-class
<https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/10109> solar flare. This is the strongest flare
of Solar Cycle 25 (so far) and the most powerful eruption the sun has
produced since the great storms of Sept. 2017.

the spaceweather article goes on to say there may have been a partially
Earth-directed CME associated with this.  That could arrive by the 17th.

Over at
https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/
  we can see NOAA's report of this with picture showing largest impact to
radio communications at the time of the event was over Central and South
America.  It will be a few more days before the CME gets here.

Several of us have been noticing that the solar flux/sunspot numbers have
been down lately, and that DX on HF has not been that good.

I wonder what's next?

73,
Jim