Viewing archive of Thursday, 19 February 2026

Daily bulletin on solar and geomagnetic activity from the SIDC

Issued: 2026 Feb 19 1247 UTC

SIDC Forecast

Solar flares

C-class flares expected, (probability >=50%)

Geomagnetism

Moderate (ISES: Major) magstorm expected (A>=50 or K=6)

Solar protons

Quiet

	10cm flux	Ap
19 Feb 2026	119	023
20 Feb 2026	119	019
21 Feb 2026	119	016

Solar Active Regions and flaring

Solar flaring activity was low over the past 24 hours, with only C-class flares identified. The largest flare was a C2.2 flare (SIDC Flare 7049, S07 E61) peaking on February 18 at 20:42 UTC, which was produced by an unnumbered region. A total of 4 numbered sunspot groups were identified on the disk over the past 24 hours. SIDC Sunspot Group 762 (NOAA Active Region 4374) and SIDC Sunspot Group 795 (NOAA Active Region 4377) are the most complex region with its Beta magnetic configuration. Solar flaring activity is expected to be low to moderate over the next 24 hours, with C-class flares expected and a chance for M-class flares.

Coronal mass ejections

A narrow (about 60 deg angular width) coronal mass ejection (CME) was first observed in the SOHO/LASCO-C2 images around 19:06 UTC on Feb 18 which was associated to a prominence eruption on the NE limb, but it has no Earth-directed components. No other Earth-directed CMEs were detected in the available coronagraph observations during the last 24 hour.

Solar wind

Over the past 24 hours, solar wind parameters continued to reflect the waning influence of a high-speed stream (HSSs) from the elongated, positive polarity, recurrent coronal hole (SIDC Coronal Hole 146) which started to cross the central meridian on Feb 13. The solar wind speed increases occasionally due to the irregular shape of the same coronal hole. The solar wind speed ranged from 432 km/s to 560 km/s. The interplanetary magnetic field ranged between 3 nT and 8 nT, and the North- South component (Bz) ranged between -6 nT and 5 nT. In the next 24 hours, enhanced solar wind conditions are possible with the further arrival of HSSs from the same coronal hole, and possibly with the arrival of an interplanetary coronal mass ejection (ICME) associated to the CME (associated to a filament eruption) that was observed lifting from the Sun in the afternoon of Feb 16.

Geomagnetism

Geomagnetic conditions were globally and locally at quiet to unsettled conditions (NOAA Kp and K BEL 2 to 3), during the past 24 hours. Quiet to unsettled conditions are expected in the next 24 hours. Active to moderate storm conditions are possible, if interplanetary coronal mass ejection (ICME) associated to the CME (associated to a filament eruption) that was observed lifting from the Sun in the afternoon of Feb 16 arrives at the Earth.

Proton flux levels

The greater than 10 MeV GOES proton flux was below the threshold level over the past 24 hours and it is expected to remain so for the next 24 hours.

Electron fluxes at geostationary orbit

Over the past 24 hours, the greater than 2 MeV electron flux, as measured by GOES-18 satellite, increased and exceeded the 1000 pfu threshold level from 13:45 UTC on Feb 18 to 04:00 UTC on Feb 19. It is expected to exceed the threshold level in the coming 24 hours. The greater than 2 MeV electron flux, as measured by GOES-19 satellite, exceeded above the 1000 pfu threshold level around 05:15 UTC on Feb 18 and dropped below the threshold level around 02:15 UTC on Feb 19. It is above the threshold level since 05:15 UTC on Feb 18 and expected to remain so. It was in response to the high speed streams (HSS) from the elongated, positive polarity, recurrent coronal hole (SIDC Coronal Hole 146) which started to cross the central meridian since Feb 13. The 24h electron fluence was at moderate levels and is expected to remain at moderate level in the coming 24 hours.

Today's estimated international sunspot number (ISN): 048, based on 10 stations.

Solar indices for 18 Feb 2026

Wolf number Catania	042
10cm solar flux	119
AK Chambon La Forêt	020
AK Wingst	011
Estimated Ap	011
Estimated international sunspot number	043 - Based on 19 stations

Noticeable events summary

Provided by the Solar Influences Data analysis Center© - SIDC - Processed by SpaceWeatherLive

All times in UTC

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