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Solar activity
Auroral activity
Failed storm prediction, Next coronal hole

The NOAA SWPC had a moderate G2 geomagnetic storm watch in effect during the past few days but we unfortunately haven't even reached the minor G1 geomagnetic storm level. The G2 geomagnetic storm watch from the NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center was a result of a possible coronal mass ejection (CME) impact, something we indeed never mentioned on the site or on our social media pages. We did not believe this solar storm had an earth-bound component so choose to not mention it, a strategy that proved to be the right one. A minor G1 geomagnetic storm was however predicted due to a coronal hole solar wind stream but the stream was weaker than expected and only caused active geomagnetic conditions (Kp4) on 15 May. We are however getting another chance to reach geomagnetic storm levels thanks to yet another coronal hole.

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Last X-flare2026/03/30X1.5
Last M-flare2026/04/04M1.0
Last geomagnetic storm2026/04/03Kp7- (G3)
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12001X8.08
22004M3.44
32023M3.01
42000M2.7
52006M2.02
DstG
12000-291G4
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31988-100G2
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52010-81G1
*since 1994

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