• CME produced by X8.1 flare forecast to reach Earth on February 5, causing G1 geomagnetic storm

    A coronal mass ejection (CME) associated with an X8.1 solar flare from Region 4366 at 23:57 UTC on February 1 is forecast to glance Earth late on February 5, 2026. The impact is expected to produce G1 – Minor geomagnetic storm conditions and possible auroral activity poleward of 60 degrees Geomagnetic Latitude. This was the third-strongest solar flare of Solar Cycle 25.

  • Major X8.1 solar flare erupts from AR 4366 following explosive growth

    A major X8.1 solar flare erupted from Active Region 4366 at 23:57 UTC on February 1, 2026, following rapid magnetic expansion and intense flaring throughout the day. The region also produced an X1.0 flare at 12:33 UTC on February 1 and an X2.8 event at 00:36 UTC and an X1.6 at 08:14 UTC on February 2, accompanied by more than 20 M-class flares since 02:00 UTC on February 1.

  • Major X1.0 flare erupts from Region 4366, Earth-directed CMEs possible in days ahead

    A major X1.0 solar flare erupted at 12:33 UTC on February 1, 2026, from Active Region 4366, following a sequence of strong M-class flares earlier in the day, including M6.6 and M6.7 flares within two hours. The event started at 11:52 and ended at 12:38 UTC. With the region now rotating toward the center of the solar disk and maintaining a complex beta-gamma-delta magnetic configuration, conditions are favorable for Earth-directed CMEs in the days ahead.

  • Rare auroral glow detected within South Atlantic Anomaly during January 19 severe geomagnetic storm

    Severe geomagnetic storm on January 19, 2026, generated a rare auroral glow inside the South Atlantic Anomaly, a region where Earth’s magnetic field is significantly weaker. Photographers in Brazil captured a diffuse purple band over Cambará do Sul during peak geomagnetic activity, documenting the latest in rare instances of possible auroral or SAR arc activity within the anomaly.

  • CME impact forecast early January 20 with G4 – Severe or higher storm risk and aurora as low as California

    A G4 – Severe or greater geomagnetic storm is forecast for early January 20, 2026, as a full-halo coronal mass ejection from the January 18 X1.9 solar flare approaches Earth. If G4 conditions materialize, auroral activity is expected to expand significantly equatorward, with visibility possible as far south as Alabama and northern California.