A major solar flare registered as X2.3 erupted from Active Region 3883 at 13:40 UTC on November 6, 2024. The event started at 13:24 and ended at 13:46 UTC. Meanwhile, a glancing blow from the CME associated with the M3.8 on November 4 is expected on November 7.
A Type II Radio Emission with an estimated velocity of 256 km/s was registered at 13:50 UTC, suggesting a coronal mass ejection (CME) was produced.
Coronagraph imagery was not available at the time of press, but there is a possibility the CME will have at least a part of it heading toward Earth.
Radio frequencies were forecast to be most degraded over the Atlantic Ocean, South America, and Africa.
This is the first X-class solar flare this month, following X2.0 on October 31.
Solar activity was already at high levels before the X-class flare, with an impulsive M5.8 flare at 08:50 UTC from new Region 3887. This region developed quickly over the past 24 hours but still maintains a simple beta magnetic configuration.
Solar wind parameters continued at mildly enhanced in 24 hours to 12:30 UTC today. The total field ranged from 4 – 9 nT while the Bz component was between +/-8 nT. Solar wind speed ranged from 400 – 490 km/s while the phi angle was mostly positive.
Coronal hole high speed stream (CH HSS) influences are expected to wane today but wind speeds will likely remain around 450 km/s.
A glancing blow from the CME associated with the M3.8 on November 4 is expected on November 7. The forerunning shock is expected late November 6 with the bulk of the magnetic cloud arriving November 7.
Solar wind parameters are expected to be enhanced during this time.
The geomagnetic field was quiet to unsettled over the past 24 hours and similar conditions are likely to continue through the rest of the day.
A glancing blow from the aforementioned CME is expected to cause unsettled to active conditions with G1 – Minor storming likely on November 7. Quiet to unsettled levels are expected on November 8.
References:
1 Forecast Discussion – SWPC – Issued at 12:30 UTC on November 6, 2024
Featured image: X2.3 solar flare on November 6, 2024. Credit: NASA SDO/AIA 131, Helioviewer, The Watchers