Sunspot region 3615, G1 watch

Wednesday, 20 March 2024 14:57 UTC

Sunspot region 3615

First of all we have sunspot region 3615. Sunspot region 3615 is a relatively small sunspot region but it has a very interesting magnetic layout. This sunspot region is rotating towards the center of the earth-facing solar disk and could launch a earth-directed coronal mass ejection in the coming days if we are lucky. Or unlucky depending on who you ask. The sunspot region has a complex Beta-Gamma-Delta (despite it still being assigned as a Beta-Gamma region by NOAA) layout and already produced four M-class events including an M7.4 solar flare today at 07:36 UTC. These flares however were impulsive and did not launch any coronal mass ejections. But who knows, this could very well change if the region develops further. A sunspot region to keep an eye on in the days ahead!

G1 geomagnetic storm watch

A coronal mass ejection is expected to arrive later today coming from a filament eruption launched on 17 of March. Geomagnetic conditions up to Kp5 (G1) are expected after the plasma cloud arrives. Enhanced geomagnetic conditions up to a Kp-value of 5 are expected to persist tomorrow (21 March) as well.