[Ips-dsgr] ASWFC Daily Report - 21 August 26 issued 2337 UT on 21 Aug 2026 [SEC=OFFICIAL]

Australian Space Weather Forecasting Centre aswfc at bom.gov.au
Sat Aug 22 09:37:22 AEST 2026


SUBJ: ASWFC DAILY SOLAR AND GEOPHYSICAL REPORT
ISSUED AT 2330UT/21 AUGUST 2026
FROM THE AUSTRALIAN SPACE WEATHER FORECASTING CENTRE
SUMMARY FOR 21 AUGUST AND FORECAST FOR 22 AUGUST - 24 AUGUST
STATUS INDICATORS SOL:** RED **   MAG:GREEN     ION: GREEN
ASWAS SCALE DESCRIPTION: https://bit.ly/3lmaMBx
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1A. SOLAR SUMMARY
Activity 21 Aug:  R1

Flares    Max     Fadeout    Freq.  Sectors
  M1.6    1001UT  possible   lower  European

Observed 10.7 cm flux/Equivalent Sunspot Number for 21 Aug: 126/79


1B. SOLAR FORECAST
             22 Aug             23 Aug             24 Aug
Activity     R0-R1              R0-R1              R0-R1 
Fadeouts     Probable           Probable           Probable
10.7cm/SSN   120/72             120/72             115/66

COMMENT: Solar flare activity on UT day 21-Aug was at the R1 
level due to a long duration M1.6 flare observed at 21/1018UT. 
There are currently six numbered active regions (ARs) visible 
on the solar disk. AR 4507 (N04W82, beta) is responsible for 
the M1.6 flare at 21/1018UT but has almost completely rotated 
off the visible disk. 4511 (S18W44, beta) showed spot development, 
but remains magnetically simple and small. 4513 (N04W58, beta-gamma) 
is the largest and most magnetically complex region on the solar 
disk, but was flare quiet over the UT day. All other ARs are 
stable. Solar flare activity is expected to be at R0-R1 levels 
over 22-24 Aug due to the magnetic complexity and recent flare 
activity from region 4513. S0 solar radiation storm conditions 
were observed on UT day 21-Aug, although the > 10MeV flux as 
measured at GOES increased over the UT-day. S0 conditions, with 
a chance of S1 are expected on 22-Aug. S0 conditions are expected 
over 23-24 Aug. The reason for the increase is likely the long 
duration M1.6 flare at 21/1018UT and the concurrent CME. No Earth-directed 
coronal mass ejections (CMEs) have been observed. A fast, west 
directed CME was observed in SOHO and STEREO-A imagery from 21/0936UT. 
This CME is associated with the M1.6 flare at 21/1018UT and a 
concurrent eruption at around N05W80 visible in GOES SUVI, SDO 
and H-Alpha imagery. Modelling suggests this CME will impact 
the STEREO-A satellite at 22/2000UT but will pass ahead of the 
Earth. The solar wind speed on UT day 21-Aug decreased slightly, 
ranging between 450 and 560 km/s, and is currently near 470 km/s. 
The peak total interplanetary magnetic field strength (IMF, Bt) 
was 5 nT and the north-south IMF component (Bz) range was -4 
to +4 nT. The solar wind speed is expected to continue to decline 
over 22-24 Aug as coronal hole high speed wind stream effects 
wane.

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2A. MAGNETIC SUMMARY

Geomagnetic field for Australian Region 21 Aug: G0

Estimated Indices 21 Aug : A   K           
   Australian Region       4   22211011
      Cocos Island         2   12111010
      Darwin               4   22211012
      Townsville           5   23211012
      Learmonth            3   22101011
      Alice Springs        4   22211011
      Gingin               3   22101021
      Canberra             4   22220011
      Kennaook Cape Grim   4   22121011
      Hobart               5   32221011    

Estimated Antarctic Regional K Indices 21 Aug :
      Macquarie Island     4   22221001
      Casey                9   33322122
      Mawson              14   54212123

Observed Regional daily pc3 Indices 21 Aug : 
      Darwin               0   (Quiet)
      Townsville           0   (Quiet)
      Learmonth            0   (Quiet)
      Alice Springs        0   (Quiet)
      Gingin              12   (Quiet)
      Canberra             6   (Quiet)
      Hobart               6   (Quiet)

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 21 Aug : A 
           Fredericksburg         9
           Planetary             11                         

Observed AFr/Ap Indices 20 Aug :  A   K
           Fredericksburg        11
           Planetary             11   3222 3233     


2B. MAGNETIC FORECAST 
Date      Ap    Conditions
22 Aug     6    G0
23 Aug     6    G0
24 Aug     4    G0

COMMENT: G0 geomagnetic conditions were observed at the planetary 
level and Australian region on UT day 21-Aug. Mostly G0 conditions 
were observed in the Antarctic region, with a period of G1 observed 
at Mawson. G0 planetary geomagnetic conditions are expected over 
22-24 Aug.

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3A. GLOBAL HF PROPAGATION SUMMARY
	            Latitude Band
Date        Low            Middle         High 
21 Aug      Normal         Normal         Normal-fair    

PCA Event : No event.

3B. GLOBAL HF PROPAGATION FORECAST
	            Latitude Band
Date        Low            Middle         High 
22 Aug      Normal         Normal         Normal
23 Aug      Normal         Normal         Normal
24 Aug      Normal         Normal         Normal

COMMENT: HF radio propagation conditions on UT day 21-Aug were 
mostly normal, with some degradations observed at low and high 
latitudes in the northern hemisphere. HF radio propagation conditions 
are expected to be mostly normal over 22-24 Aug. Shortwave fadeouts 
are possible.

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4A. AUSTRALIAN REGION IONOSPHERIC SUMMARY


Date   T index
21 Aug    78

Observed Australian Regional MUFs
   Cocos Island Region:
      No data available during local day.
      No data available during local night.
   Niue Island Region:
      Enhanced by 15% during local day.
      Depressed by 20% during local night.
      Enhanced by 30% after local dawn.
   Northern Australian Region:
      Near predicted monthly values.
   Southern Australian Region:
      Near predicted monthly values during local day.
      Enhanced by 20% during local night.
   Antarctic Region (Casey/Davis/Mawson):
      Near predicted monthly values over the UT day.

Monthly T index:
Month  T index
Jul      75
Aug      64
Sep      61

4B. AUSTRALIAN REGION IONOSPHERIC FORECAST
Date   T index  MUFs
22 Aug    80    Near to 15% above predicted monthly values
23 Aug    80    Near to 15% above predicted monthly values
24 Aug    80    Near to 15% above predicted monthly values

COMMENT: ASWFC SWF HF Communications Warning 75 was issued on 
20 August and is current for 20-22 Aug. Maximum usable frequencies 
(MUFs) in the Australian region on UT day 21-Aug were near predicted 
monthly values, with enhancements observed in the southern Australian 
region during local night hours. MUFs are expected to be near 
predicted monthly values over 22-24 Aug. Shortwave fadeouts are 
possible.

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5. SPACE ENVIRONMENT SUMMARY

GOES satellite data for 20 Aug
       Daily Proton Fluence >1 MeV:   1.7E+05
       Daily Proton Fluence >10 MeV:  2.1E+04
       Daily Electron Fluence >2 MeV: 3.40E+07   (normal fluence)
Electron Fluence Daily Deep Dielectric Discharge Probability: 5%
Fluence (flux accumulation over 24hrs)/ cm2-ster-day.
       X-ray background: C1.1

Solar Wind Day Averaged Data for 20 Aug
Speed: 548 km/sec  Density:    4.7 p/cc  Temp:   205000 K  Bz:   0 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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