[Ips-dsgr] ASWFC Daily Report - 17 May 25 issued 2331 UT on 17 May 2025 [SEC=OFFICIAL]

Australian Space Weather Forecasting Centre aswfc at bom.gov.au
Sun May 18 09:31:28 AEST 2025


SUBJ: ASWFC DAILY SOLAR AND GEOPHYSICAL REPORT
ISSUED AT 2330UT/17 MAY 2025
FROM THE AUSTRALIAN SPACE WEATHER FORECASTING CENTRE
SUMMARY FOR 17 MAY AND FORECAST FOR 18 MAY - 20 MAY
STATUS INDICATORS SOL:** YELLOW **   MAG:** RED **     ION: ** YELLOW **
ASWAS SCALE DESCRIPTION: https://bit.ly/3lmaMBx
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1A. SOLAR SUMMARY
Activity 17 May:  R0

Flares: none.

Observed 10.7 cm flux/Equivalent Sunspot Number for 17 May: 117/69


1B. SOLAR FORECAST
             18 May             19 May             20 May
Activity     R0-R1, chance R2   R0-R1, chance R2   R0-R1, chance R2   
Fadeouts     Possible           Possible           Possible
10.7cm/SSN   118/70             120/72             115/66

COMMENT: Solar activity on UT day 17-May was at the R0 level 
with a declining background X-Ray flux. There are currently three 
numbered sunspot regions visible on the solar disk and one unnumbered 
region. AR4087 (N17E32, beta-delta) is the largest and most magnetically 
complex region on the solar disk and has been responsible for 
several M-class flares and one X-class flare since arriving on 
the solar disk. This region appeared to grow over the UT day 
but declined in magnetic complexity. All other numbered regions 
appeared stable. An unnumbered region has developed on the solar 
disk at around S16E42 with beta magnetic characteristics. Solar 
activity is expected to be at R0-R1 levels, with a chance of 
R2 over 18-20 May. S0 solar radiation conditions were observed 
on 17-May, S0 conditions are expected over 18-20 May. No Earth-directed 
CMEs have been observed. The solar wind speed on UT day 17-May 
increased significantly, mostly ranging between 400 to 800 km/s 
and is currently near 725 km/s. The peak total interplanetary 
magnetic field strength (IMF, Bt) was 22 nT and the north-south 
IMF component (Bz) range was -18 to +16 nT. The increase in speed 
and IMF strength is due to coronal hole high speed wind stream 
effects, combined with a glancing impact from a CME first observed 
on 13-May. The solar wind environment is expected to remain enhanced 
over 18-20 May due to high speed wind stream effects from a large 
coronal hole in the southern hemisphere.

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2A. MAGNETIC SUMMARY

Geomagnetic field for Australian Region 17 May: G0

Estimated Indices 17 May : A   K           
   Australian Region      18   34344332
      Cocos Island        16   34334322
      Darwin              22   35344333
      Townsville          22   35344432
      Learmonth           25   35345432
      Alice Springs       17   34344322
      Gingin              21   44344333
      Canberra            18   34344332
      Kennaook Cape Grim  23   34355332
      Hobart              23   34355332    

Estimated Antarctic Regional K Indices 17 May :
      Macquarie Island    41   55456542
      Casey               16   34343322
      Mawson              47   75444426

Observed Regional daily pc3 Indices 17 May : 
      Darwin              13   (Quiet)
      Townsville           4   (Quiet)
      Learmonth            6   (Quiet)
      Alice Springs        7   (Quiet)
      Gingin              24   (Quiet to unsettled)
      Canberra            64   (Active)
      Hobart             141   (Severe storm)

Pc3 pulsations are high frequency (10-45 second period) variations 
of the Earths magnetic field. Daily pc3-indices are the daily sum 
of 20 minute pc3-indices for that station and have been shown to be
well correlated with rejection of high resolution aeromagnetic
survey flight-line data. 

NOTE: Indices may have been generated from data obtained in 
cooperation with the following organisations: Geoscience Australia, 
University of Newcastle Space Physics Group, Australian Government 
Antarctic Division and International Center for Space Weather 
Science and Education, Japan.


Estimated AFr/Ap Indices 17 May : A 
           Fredericksburg        32
           Planetary             50                         

Observed AFr/Ap Indices 16 May :  A   K
           Fredericksburg        11
           Planetary             13   2232 3224     


2B. MAGNETIC FORECAST 
Date      Ap    Conditions
18 May    30    G0-G1
19 May    20    G0, chance of G1
20 May    20    G0, chance of G1

COMMENT: ASWFC Geomagnetic Warning 38 was issued on 17 May and 
is current for 17-19 May. Mostly G0 geomagnetic conditions were 
observed in the Australian region on UT day 17-May, with G1 conditions 
observed at Hobart, Kennaook Cape Grim and Learmonth. Mostly 
G2 geomagnetic conditions were observed in the Antarctic region, 
with a period of G3 observed at Mawson. G0-G1 conditions are 
expected on 18-May and G0 conditions, with a chance of G1 are 
expected on 19-20 May due to coronal hole high speed wind stream 
effects combined with ongoing CME impact effects.

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3A. GLOBAL HF PROPAGATION SUMMARY
	            Latitude Band
Date        Low            Middle         High 
17 May      Fair           Fair-poor      Poor           

PCA Event : No event.

3B. GLOBAL HF PROPAGATION FORECAST
	            Latitude Band
Date        Low            Middle         High 
18 May      Fair           Fair           Fair-poor
19 May      Normal         Normal-fair    Fair
20 May      Normal         Normal-fair    Fair

COMMENT: HF radio propagation conditions on UT day 17-May were 
mostly fair at low to mid latitudes and mostly poor at high latitudes. 
HF radio propagation conditions are expected to be mostly fair 
over 18-19 May, recovering towards mostly normal on 20-May. The 
strongest degradations are expected at high latitudes. Shortwave 
fadeouts are possible.

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4A. AUSTRALIAN REGION IONOSPHERIC SUMMARY


Date   T index
17 May    92

Observed Australian Regional MUFs
   Cocos Island Region:
      Near predicted monthly values during local day.
      Depressed by 30% during local night.
   Niue Island Region:
      Near predicted monthly values during local day.
      Depressed by 30% during local night.
   Northern Australian Region:
      Near predicted monthly values during local day.
      Depressed by 35% during local night.
   Southern Australian Region:
      Near predicted monthly values.
   Antarctic Region (Casey/Davis/Mawson):
      Depressed by 40% over the UT day.

Monthly T index:
Month  T index
Apr      123
May      113
Jun      111

4B. AUSTRALIAN REGION IONOSPHERIC FORECAST
Date   T index  MUFs
18 May    90    Depressed 15%/near predicted monthly values
19 May    90    Depressed 15%/near predicted monthly values
20 May   100    Near predicted monthly values

COMMENT: ASWFC HF Communications Warning 48 was issued on 16 
May and is current for 17-19 May. Maximum usable frequencies 
(MUFs) in the Australian region on UT day 17-May were near predicted 
monthly values in the southern Australian region, with depressions 
of 35% observed in the northern Australian region during local 
night. Spread F was observed at Hobart and Brisbane during local 
night hours. Sporadic E was also observed at Brisbane. MUFs are 
expected to be near predicted monthly values to 15% depressed 
over 18-19 May. A recovery towards monthly predicted values is 
expected on 20-May. Shortwave fadeouts are possible.

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5. SPACE ENVIRONMENT SUMMARY

GOES satellite data for 16 May
       Daily Proton Fluence >1 MeV:   3.4e+05
       Daily Proton Fluence >10 MeV:  1.5e+04
       Daily Electron Fluence >2 MeV: 1.50e+07
Fluence (flux accumulation over 24hrs)/ cm2-ster-day.
       X-ray background: B4.3

DSCOVR Satellite Solar Wind Day Averaged Data for 16 May
Speed: 416 km/sec  Density:    6.0 p/cc  Temp:    97100 K  Bz:  -4 nT

(Courtesy Space Weather Prediction Center, Boulder USA)
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Australian Space Weather Forecasting Centre
Bureau of Meteorology
ASWFC at bom.gov.au
www.bom.gov.au | www.sws.bom.gov.au



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