G3 – Strong geomagnetic storm watch
Image credit: NASA/ESA SOHO LASCO C3. Acquired at 16:18 UTC on August 17, 2022
A series of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) produced on August 14 and 15, 2022 are expected to couple with a recurrent, negative polarity coronal hole high speed stream (CH HSS), sparking G1 – Minor to G3 – Strong geomagnetic storming through August 19.
The geomagnetic field was at quiet to unsettled levels over the past 24 hours, but this is now changing.
An increase to active levels was recorded at 17:27 UTC and G1 – Minor geomagnetic storm warning was issued at 17:29 UTC.
By early on August 18, the CH HSS is expected to couple with August 14 and 15 CMEs, likely increasing activity to G3 – Strong geomagnetic storm levels.
G2 – Moderate geomagnetic storm conditions will likely persist into August 19 as additional CMEs produced on August 15 and 16 could impact Earth.
Solar activity is expected to be low with a chance for M-class flares and a slight chance for X-class flares through August 19, according to the NOAA SWPC forecasters.
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