[Ips-dsgr] ASWFC Daily Report - 18 February 26 issued 2330 UT on 18 Feb 2026 [SEC=OFFICIAL]
Australian Space Weather Forecasting Centre
aswfc at bom.gov.au
Thu Feb 19 10:30:49 AEDT 2026
SUBJ: ASWFC DAILY SOLAR AND GEOPHYSICAL REPORT
ISSUED AT 2330UT/18 FEBRUARY 2026
FROM THE AUSTRALIAN SPACE WEATHER FORECASTING CENTRE
SUMMARY FOR 18 FEBRUARY AND FORECAST FOR 19 FEBRUARY - 21 FEBRUARY
STATUS INDICATORS SOL:GREEN MAG:GREEN ION: GREEN
ASWAS SCALE DESCRIPTION: https://bit.ly/3lmaMBx
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1A. SOLAR SUMMARY
Activity 18 Feb: R0
Flares: none.
Observed 10.7 cm flux/Equivalent Sunspot Number for 18 Feb: 119/71
1B. SOLAR FORECAST
19 Feb 20 Feb 21 Feb
Activity R0 R0 R0
Fadeouts None expected None expected None expected
10.7cm/SSN 120/72 120/72 115/66
COMMENT: Solar flare activity on UT day 18-Feb was at the R0
level, with the largest flare a C2.2 flare at 18/2042UT. There
are currently three numbered sunspot regions visible on the solar
disk. All sunspot regions are small, magnetically simple and
either stable or in decay. Solar flare activity is expected to
be at the R0 level over 19-21 Feb. S0 solar radiation storm conditions
were observed on UT day 18-Feb. S0 solar radiation storm conditions
are expected over 19-21 Feb. No Earth-directed coronal mass ejections
(CMEs) have been observed. A large, southwest directed CME is
visible in SOHO and STEREO-A imagery from 18/0448UT. Associated
with coronal movement over the southwest limb at around S28,
visible in SDO, GOES SUVI and H-Alpha imagery from 18/0419UT.
This CME is considered a far side event and not geoeffective.
The solar wind speed on UT day 18-Feb decreased, mostly ranging
between 570 and 430 km/s and is currently near 455 km/s. The
peak total interplanetary magnetic field strength (IMF, Bt) was
7 nT and the north-south IMF component (Bz) range was -4 to +5
nT. The solar wind speed is expected to continue to decline towards
background levels and remain there over 19-21 Feb.
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2A. MAGNETIC SUMMARY
Geomagnetic field for Australian Region 18 Feb: G0
Estimated Indices 18 Feb : A K
Australian Region 6 22122221
Cocos Island 4 12211220
Darwin 6 22122222
Townsville 6 12222222
Learmonth 7 23122222
Alice Springs 6 22122221
Gingin 7 22123221
Canberra 4 12122111
Kennaook Cape Grim 6 22222211
Hobart 5 22222111
Estimated Antarctic Regional K Indices 18 Feb :
Macquarie Island 10 23134310
Casey 19 35532222
Mawson 22 44433352
Observed Regional daily pc3 Indices 18 Feb :
Darwin 0 (Quiet)
Townsville NA
Learmonth 0 (Quiet)
Alice Springs 0 (Quiet)
Gingin 22 (Quiet to unsettled)
Canberra 31 (Quiet to unsettled)
Hobart 53 (Unsettled)
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 18 Feb : A
Fredericksburg 10
Planetary 13
Observed AFr/Ap Indices 17 Feb : A K
Fredericksburg 7
Planetary 11 3223 2323
2B. MAGNETIC FORECAST
Date Ap Conditions
19 Feb 9 G0
20 Feb 8 G0
21 Feb 5 G0
COMMENT: G0 geomagnetic conditions were observed in the Australian
region on UT day 18-Feb. Mostly G1 geomagnetic conditions were
observed in the Antarctic region. G0 planetary geomagnetic conditions
are expected over 19-21 Feb.
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3A. GLOBAL HF PROPAGATION SUMMARY
Latitude Band
Date Low Middle High
18 Feb Normal Normal Normal-fair
PCA Event : No event.
3B. GLOBAL HF PROPAGATION FORECAST
Latitude Band
Date Low Middle High
19 Feb Normal Normal Normal-fair
20 Feb Normal Normal Normal-fair
21 Feb Normal Normal Normal
COMMENT: Global ionospheric conditions were mostly normal on
UT day 18-Feb, with fair conditions observed at middle and high
latitudes in the first half of the UT day. Mostly normal HF conditions
are expected over 19-21 Feb.
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4A. AUSTRALIAN REGION IONOSPHERIC SUMMARY
Date T index
18 Feb 87
Observed Australian Regional MUFs
Cocos Island Region:
Near predicted monthly values during local day.
Enhanced by 15% during local night.
Niue Island Region:
Enhanced by 35% during local day.
Enhanced by 20% during local night.
Northern Australian Region:
Near predicted monthly values during local day.
Enhanced by 15% during local night.
Southern Australian Region:
Depressed by 15% during local day.
Near predicted monthly values during local night.
Antarctic Region (Casey/Davis/Mawson):
Near predicted monthly values over the UT day.
Monthly T index:
Month T index
Jan 96
Feb 88
Mar 87
4B. AUSTRALIAN REGION IONOSPHERIC FORECAST
Date T index MUFs
19 Feb 95 Near predicted monthly values
20 Feb 95 Near predicted monthly values
21 Feb 95 Near predicted monthly values
COMMENT: Maximum Usable Frequencies (MUFs) on UT day 18-Feb in
the Australian region were near predicted monthly values with
moderate depressions observed during local day in the southern
Australian region and moderate enhancements observed during local
night in the northern Australian region. Spread F and sporadic
E were observed at Hobart during local night hours. MUFs are
expected to be near predicted monthly values over 19-21 Feb.
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5. SPACE ENVIRONMENT SUMMARY
GOES satellite data for 17 Feb
Daily Proton Fluence >1 MeV: 1.9E+06
Daily Proton Fluence >10 MeV: 1.5E+04
Daily Electron Fluence >2 MeV: 8.00E+07 (normal fluence)
Electron Fluence Daily Deep Dielectric Discharge Probability: 9%
Fluence (flux accumulation over 24hrs)/ cm2-ster-day.
X-ray background: B3.9
DSCOVR Satellite Solar Wind Day Averaged Data for 17 Feb
Speed: 579 km/sec Density: 1.5 p/cc Temp: 152000 K Bz: 1 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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