[Ips-dsgr] ASWFC Daily Report - 22 February 26 issued 2330 UT on 22 Feb 2026 [SEC=OFFICIAL]

Australian Space Weather Forecasting Centre aswfc at bom.gov.au
Mon Feb 23 10:30:50 AEDT 2026


SUBJ: ASWFC DAILY SOLAR AND GEOPHYSICAL REPORT
ISSUED AT 2330UT/22 FEBRUARY 2026
FROM THE AUSTRALIAN SPACE WEATHER FORECASTING CENTRE
SUMMARY FOR 22 FEBRUARY AND FORECAST FOR 23 FEBRUARY - 25 FEBRUARY
STATUS INDICATORS SOL:GREEN   MAG:** YELLOW **     ION: ** YELLOW **
ASWAS SCALE DESCRIPTION: https://bit.ly/3lmaMBx
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1A. SOLAR SUMMARY
Activity 22 Feb:  R0

Flares: none.

Observed 10.7 cm flux/Equivalent Sunspot Number for 22 Feb: 110/60


1B. SOLAR FORECAST
             23 Feb             24 Feb             25 Feb
Activity     R0                 R0                 R0 
Fadeouts     None expected      None expected      None expected
10.7cm/SSN   112/63             115/66             118/70

COMMENT: Solar flare activity was at the R0 level during UT day 
22-Feb, with no significant flares observed. The Sun is currently 
spotless, with no numbered or unnumbered active regions on the 
visible disk. Solar flare activity is expected to remain at the 
R0 level through 23-25 Feb, due to the lack of active regions 
on the visible disk. S0 solar radiation storm conditions were 
observed over the last 24 hours, with the solar proton flux remaining 
at background levels. S0 conditions are forecast over 23-25 Feb. 
No geoeffective Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) were observed over 
the past UT day. A far-side CME was visible in the GOES Compact 
Coronagraph (CCOR-1) from 22/1300UT. A filament eruption was 
also observed on the eastern limb at (S20E88), visible in SDO 
and GOES SUVI imaging from 22/1330UT. An associated CME from 
this eruption was observed from 22/1600UT, but has been modelled 
as missing the Earth. The solar wind increased to very strong 
levels over the last 24 hours due to an equatorial coronal hole 
high-speed wind stream. The windspeed began the day ranging from 
500-550 km/s, and increased after 22/0800UT, and is currently ranging 
between 650-700 km/s. The interplanetary magnetic field strength 
(IMF, Bt) peaked at 15 nT, at the start of the UT day. The north-south 
component (Bz) of the magnetic field ranged between -10 and +11 
nT, with a prolonged period of southward Bz observed between 
22/0742UT and 22/0952UT. The solar wind is forecast to remain 
elevated over 23-24 Feb due to the coronal hole high-speed wind 
stream, before declining by 25-Feb as the coronal hole moves 
beyond a geoeffective position.

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2A. MAGNETIC SUMMARY

Geomagnetic field for Australian Region 22 Feb: G1

Estimated Indices 22 Feb : A   K           
   Australian Region      23   34453433
      Cocos Island        16   33333433
      Darwin              21   34343434
      Townsville          23   34453433
      Learmonth           25   44443533
      Alice Springs       25   34453523
      Gingin              25   44343543
      Canberra            26   34553433
      Kennaook Cape Grim  34   34564533
      Hobart              33   34564434    

Estimated Antarctic Regional K Indices 22 Feb :
      Macquarie Island    68   34776653
      Casey               31   46544333
      Mawson             109   46665688

Observed Regional daily pc3 Indices 22 Feb : 
      Darwin               6   (Quiet)
      Townsville           2   (Quiet)
      Learmonth            5   (Quiet)
      Alice Springs        4   (Quiet)
      Gingin              50   (Unsettled)
      Canberra            92   (Minor storm)
      Hobart             119   (Major 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 22 Feb : A 
           Fredericksburg        28
           Planetary             40                         

Observed AFr/Ap Indices 21 Feb :  A   K
           Fredericksburg        12
           Planetary             16   4332 1234     


2B. MAGNETIC FORECAST 
Date      Ap    Conditions
23 Feb    21    G0-G1
24 Feb    20    G0, chance of G1
25 Feb    14    G0

COMMENT: ASWFC Geomagnetic Warning 12 was issued on 22 February 
and is current for 22-24 Feb. Geomagnetic conditions reached 
the G1 level in the Australian region on 22-Feb due to coronal 
hole high-speed wind stream effects. Periods of G2 were also 
observed in Hobart and Cape Grim. Periods of G3 were observed 
in the Antarctic region, with intervals of G4 reported at Mawson. 
G1 geomagnetic conditions were also reported at the planetary 
level over the past UT day. G0-G1 conditions are expected on 
23-Feb due to the ongoing high-speed wind stream effects. These 
will decline to G0, with a chance of G1 on 24-Feb, and G0 conditions 
on 25-Feb as the Earth moves out of the high-speed wind stream.

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3A. GLOBAL HF PROPAGATION SUMMARY
	            Latitude Band
Date        Low            Middle         High 
22 Feb      Fair           Fair           Fair-poor      

PCA Event : No event.

3B. GLOBAL HF PROPAGATION FORECAST
	            Latitude Band
Date        Low            Middle         High 
23 Feb      Fair           Fair           Fair-poor
24 Feb      Normal-fair    Normal-fair    Fair
25 Feb      Normal         Normal-fair    Normal-fair

COMMENT: Global ionospheric conditions began UT day 22-Feb mostly 
normal, but became fair towards the end of the UT day due to 
current geomagnetic conditions. Conditions became fair-poor in 
high latitude regions, with depressions also seen in the American, 
African, and Australian regions late in the UT day. MUFs in the 
European region were depressed by 15-20% across the UT day. Ionospheric 
conditions are expected to remain fair, with fair-poor conditions 
likely in polar regions on 23-Feb. These conditions will gradually 
improve over 24-25 Feb, as ongoing geomagnetic activity subsides.

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4A. AUSTRALIAN REGION IONOSPHERIC SUMMARY


Date   T index
22 Feb    89

Observed Australian Regional MUFs
   Cocos Island Region:
      Enhanced by 30% during local day.
      Near predicted monthly values during local night.
      Enhanced by 20% after local dawn.
   Niue Island Region:
      Near predicted monthly values.
   Northern Australian Region:
      Mostly near predicted monthly values.
      Depressed by 30% after local dawn.
   Southern Australian Region:
      Mostly near predicted monthly values.
      Depressed by 25% after local dawn.
   Antarctic Region (Casey/Davis/Mawson):
      Depressed by 15% 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
23 Feb    60    Depressed 15 to 25%/near predicted monthly values
24 Feb    70    Depressed 10 to 15%/near predicted monthly values
25 Feb    85    Near predicted monthly values

COMMENT: Maximum Usable Frequencies (MUFs) in the Australian 
region became depressed towards the end of the UT day 22-Feb 
due to current geomagnetic activity. MUFs in the Australian region 
decreased from near monthly predicted values to 25–30% below 
predicted values during local dawn hours. Strong sporadic E was 
observed during local night hours, and spread F was also observed 
at Hobart. MUFs in the Antarctic region were also depressed by 
15%. Depressions of 15-25% are expected over 23-24 Feb due to 
ongoing geomagnetic activity, before recovering to near monthly 
predicted values by 25-Feb.

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5. SPACE ENVIRONMENT SUMMARY

GOES satellite data for 21 Feb
       Daily Proton Fluence >1 MeV:   2.2E+06
       Daily Proton Fluence >10 MeV:  1.4E+04
       Daily Electron Fluence >2 MeV: 2.60E+07   (normal fluence)
Electron Fluence Daily Deep Dielectric Discharge Probability: 4%
Fluence (flux accumulation over 24hrs)/ cm2-ster-day.
       X-ray background: B3.1

DSCOVR Satellite Solar Wind Day Averaged Data for 21 Feb
Speed: 501 km/sec  Density:    4.8 p/cc  Temp:    49000 K  Bz:   7 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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