[South Florida DX Association] Space-Weather-Bulletin

[Bill Marx]

 Official Space Weather Advisory issued by NOAA Space Environment Center
> Boulder, Colorado, USA
> 
> SPACE WEATHER ADVISORY BULLETIN #05- 2
> 2005 January 17 at 12:37 p.m. MST (2005 January 17 1937 UTC)
> 
> **** LARGE ACTIVE REGION PRODUCES STRONG SOLAR STORMS ****
> 
> The large and dynamic active sunspot region, numbered by NOAA as Region
> 720, has produced several strong solar events. Five large solar flares
> produced moderate (R2) to strong (R3) radio blackouts since 15 January.
> The largest of these solar eruptions, an X3.8 on the GOES-12 x-ray
> sensor, occurred today at 17/0659 UTC (near local midnight MST).
> Short-wave radio communications through the sunlit hemisphere of Earth
> experienced significant signal degradation during these solar flares.
> 
> Associated strong geomagnetic and radiation storms are underway. The
> radiation storm began on 16/0210 UTC (15 January, 7:10 P.M. MST) and is
> currently at the S3 (strong level). A G3 (strong) geomagnetic storm
> began early on the 17th (UTC) and remains in progress. The geomagnetic
> storm is associated with two coronal mass ejections (CMEs) observed on
> SOHO/LASCO imagery on 15 January.
> 
> A third Earth-directed CME was observed today following the X3.8 flare.
> This CME is expected to impact the geomagnetic field on 17 and 18
> January with strong (G3) to severe (G4) geomagnetic storm levels. The
> radiation storm in progress now is expected to continue for several
> more days.
> 
> Active Region 720 is a large and complex sunspot cluster. Further major
> eruptions are possible from this region before it rotates around the
> visible solar disk on 22 January. Agencies impacted by solar flare
> radio blackouts, geomagnetic storms, and solar radiation storms should
> continue to closely monitor the space environment through the remainder
> of this week.