The NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) don report say dem detect moderate M5.9 solar flare dis Friday evening. Di flare happen around 22:22 UTC from one new sunspot group wey dey rotate dey show face for di eastern limb of di Sun.
According to NOAA, di flare reach R2-Moderate status on di radio blackout scale. Dis kind flares dey happen during times wey solar activity dey high, but e no dey happen like di lower-level M-class events. Dem capture di flare for SUVI 131 Angstrom imagery from di GOES-19 satellite, wey show bright burst for di eastern solar edge.
SWPC say M-class flares like dis one dey quick dey rise and fall, but some fit last longer depending on di structure of di active region. Di first impact from today’s flare include short time degradation or loss of high-frequency (HF) radio communication for di side of Earth wey sun dey shine, and dis fit affect aviation, marine operations, and amateur radio users. But most times e dey last for only few minutes.
NOAA analysts dey check di available imagery to see if di flare launch coronal mass ejection (CME). If CME dey directed towards Earth, e fit make geomagnetic storm strong, especially if e get south-pointing magnetic fields. Right now, dem never confirm any CME.
Forecasters dey emphasize say dem go dey give more updates as new imagery and solar wind data dey come in. Di sunspot group wey cause today’s flare never get number and e still dey rotate dey face Earth, so e mean say more activity fit dey happen for di next days.
Thanksgiving Weekend Travel Weather
Thanksgiving weekend don reach. But di weather no fit cooperate for some parts of di country.
If you dey travel Saturday or Sunday, make you dey weather aware. Delays and slow traffic dey expected Saturday for di central U.S. and on Sunday for di East.
Saturday's Forecast
Major airports wey fit dey impacted: Chicago, Dallas-Ft. Worth, Detroit, Houston, Kansas City, Minneapolis-St. Paul, St. Louis
- Midwest wintry mess: Winter Storm Bellamy go produce snow through di upper Mississippi Valley and Great Lakes. Dis go lead to snow-covered roads and flight delays, especially for Chicago-O'Hare. Saturday night, dis wintry mess go spread go di Ohio Valley and eastern Great Lakes.
- South storms: Thunderstorms with heavy rain, and severe weather fit rumble across di South from Oklahoma and Texas go di middle and lower Mississippi Valley. Dis fit lead to flash flooding and flight delays for Dallas-Ft. Worth and Houston.
Sunday's Forecast
Major airports wey fit dey impacted: Atlanta, Boston, Denver (late), Detroit, New Orleans, New York City, Orlando, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Washington, D.C.
- Eastern mess: Winter Storm Bellamy go move go di East, but most rain go fall for di East, especially along di Interstate 95 urban corridor. Dis fit lead to flight delays for di major East Coast hubs.
- Some snow fit fall for di interior Northeast and lake-effect snowbands go develop or linger.