[Ips-dsgr] ASWFC Daily Report - 02 January 26 issued 2330 UT on 02 Jan 2026 [SEC=OFFICIAL]

Australian Space Weather Forecasting Centre aswfc at bom.gov.au
Sat Jan 3 10:30:51 AEDT 2026


SUBJ: ASWFC DAILY SOLAR AND GEOPHYSICAL REPORT
ISSUED AT 2330UT/02 JANUARY 2026
FROM THE AUSTRALIAN SPACE WEATHER FORECASTING CENTRE
SUMMARY FOR 02 JANUARY AND FORECAST FOR 03 JANUARY - 05 JANUARY
STATUS INDICATORS SOL:** YELLOW **   MAG:** RED **     ION: ** YELLOW **
ASWAS SCALE DESCRIPTION: https://bit.ly/3lmaMBx
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1A. SOLAR SUMMARY
Activity 02 Jan:  R0

Flares: none.

Observed 10.7 cm flux/Equivalent Sunspot Number for 02 Jan: 166/120


1B. SOLAR FORECAST
             03 Jan             04 Jan             05 Jan
Activity     R1,chance R2       R1,chance R2       R1,chance R2
Fadeouts     Possible           Possible           Possible
10.7cm/SSN   166/120            160/114            165/119

COMMENT: Solar activity for UT day 02-Jan was at the R0 level, 
with no M-class or greater flares observed. There are currently 
seven numbered and two unnumbered regions on the solar disk, 
with Active Region (AR) 4325 (S09W20, beta) remaining the largest 
and most magnetically complex. Both AR 4325 and previously flare-active 
AR 4324 (N26W13, beta) have remained mostly stable, showing minor 
decay in their trailer spots. Region 4333 (S10E05, beta) has 
shown some growth over the last UT day and has produced several 
C-class flares. AR 4323 (S15W15, beta) has also shown significant 
growth over the last 24 hours. New Region 4334 (S12E74, alpha) 
has rotated over the eastern limb and appears stable, though 
its magnetic classification is affected by foreshortening. Two 
new small regions also appeared on the disk at (N16W40) and (S17E17), 
both of which appear magnetically simple. All other regions appear 
stable or in decay. Solar conditions are expected to remain at 
the R1 level, with a chance of R2 activity over 03-05 Jan. S0 
solar radiation storm conditions were observed over the past 
24 hours, with the proton flux at background levels. Solar radiation 
storm conditions are forecast to be at the S0 level over the 
period 03-05 Jan. A Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) was observed 
in SOHO imagery from 01/1936UT, associated with a flare from 
AR4324. Modelling of this CME suggests a glancing impact with 
Earth, which is expected to arrive at 04/1400UT +/-12 hours. 
The solar wind increased over the past UT day, starting at 470-500 
km/s early in the UT day. ACE EPAM registered an energetic ion 
enhancement event beginning 02/0935UT, coinciding with a solar 
wind speed increase, currently ranging between 600-650 km/s. 
The interplanetary magnetic field strength (IMF, Bt) peaked at 
10 nT during 02-Jan. The North-South component (Bz) ranged between 
-16 and +16 nT during the last 24 hours, with two periods of 
significant southward Bz between 02/1730-1830UT and 02/2000-2145UT. 
The solar wind speed is forecast to remain high over 03-04 Jan 
due to the effects of the two previously mentioned CMEs. The 
solar wind is expected to decline by 05-Jan as the effects of 
these CMEs wane.

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2A. MAGNETIC SUMMARY

Geomagnetic field for Australian Region 02 Jan: G0

Estimated Indices 02 Jan : A   K           
   Australian Region      16   32324343
      Cocos Island        10   22223242
      Darwin              15   32223344
      Townsville          16   23323344
      Learmonth           16   32324343
      Alice Springs       16   32323344
      Gingin              18   32324353
      Canberra            15   23324243
      Kennaook Cape Grim  18   33324253
      Hobart              17   33324343    

Estimated Antarctic Regional K Indices 02 Jan :
      Macquarie Island    23   23335453
      Casey               49   56654355
      Mawson              58   56534476

Observed Regional daily pc3 Indices 02 Jan : 
      Darwin               0   (Quiet)
      Townsville           0   (Quiet)
      Learmonth            0   (Quiet)
      Alice Springs        0   (Quiet)
      Gingin               2   (Quiet)
      Canberra             0   (Quiet)
      Hobart              22   (Quiet to 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 02 Jan : A 
           Fredericksburg        15
           Planetary             18                         

Observed AFr/Ap Indices 01 Jan :  A   K
           Fredericksburg        10
           Planetary             12   2333 3323     


2B. MAGNETIC FORECAST 
Date      Ap    Conditions
03 Jan    33    G1-G2
04 Jan    24    G0-G1
05 Jan    12    G0

COMMENT: ASWFC Geomagnetic Warning 1 was issued on 1 January 
and is current for 2-3 Jan. G0 geomagnetic conditions were observed 
in the Australian region during UT day 02-Jan, with isolated 
periods of G1 in Gingin and Kennaook/Cape Grim. Periods of G1-G3 
were observed in the Antarctic regions, and G1 geomagnetic conditions 
were observed at the planetary level. These conditions were due 
to the arrival of a CME, with a weak (9nT) impulse observed at 
1557UT. G1-G2 geomagnetic storm conditions are forecast for 03-Jan, 
due to the ongoing effects of this CME impact. A further partial 
CME impact at Earth is expected on 04-Jan, with G0-G1 conditions 
forecast for this day. This will decline to G0 on 05-Jan as the 
effects of these CME impacts wane.

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3A. GLOBAL HF PROPAGATION SUMMARY
	            Latitude Band
Date        Low            Middle         High 
02 Jan      Normal         Normal         Normal         

PCA Event : No event.

3B. GLOBAL HF PROPAGATION FORECAST
	            Latitude Band
Date        Low            Middle         High 
03 Jan      Fair           Fair           Fair-poor
04 Jan      Fair-normal    Fair-normal    Fair
05 Jan      Normal         Normal         Normal-fair

COMMENT: HF radio propagation conditions on UT day 02-Jan were 
Normal, with some mild depressions in the European region during 
local night hours. MUFs in the European region were near predicted 
values. Some enhancements were seen in the Australian and Asian 
regions over this period. Conditions are forecast to become Fair 
over 03-Jan, due to ongoing geomagnetic activity. Fair-normal 
conditions are expected on 04-Jan from further mild geomagnetic 
activity, before trending towards normal by 05-Jan. Shortwave 
fadeouts are possible.

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4A. AUSTRALIAN REGION IONOSPHERIC SUMMARY


Date   T index
02 Jan   134

Observed Australian Regional MUFs
   Cocos Island Region:
      No data available during local day.
      No data available during local night.
   Niue Island Region:
      Near predicted monthly values during local day.
      Enhanced by 25% during local night.
   Northern Australian Region:
      Enhanced by 15% during local day.
      Enhanced by 45% during local night.
   Southern Australian Region:
      Near predicted monthly values.
   Antarctic Region (Casey/Davis/Mawson):
      Near predicted monthly values over the UT day.

Monthly T index:
Month  T index
Dec      110
Jan      89
Feb      88

4B. AUSTRALIAN REGION IONOSPHERIC FORECAST
Date   T index  MUFs
03 Jan    60    Depressed 20 to 30%/near predicted monthly values
04 Jan    75    Depressed 10 to 15%/near predicted monthly values
05 Jan    95    Near predicted monthly values

COMMENT: ASWFC Preliminary HF Communications Warning 1 was issued 
on 1 January and is current for 3 Jan only. ASWFC SWF HF Communications 
Warning 2 was issued on 1 January and is current for 1-3 Jan. 
Maximum usable frequencies (MUFs) were largely near predicted 
values during UT day 02-Jan, with enhancements between 25-40% 
observed in the Northern Australia and Niue Island region during 
local night hours. Low-frequency sporadic-E was observed, with 
spread F also observed in Hobart during local night hours. MUFs 
are expected to be 20-30% depressed on 03-Jan due to ongoing 
geomagnetic activity. Depressions of 15-20% are expected to remain 
over 04-Jan, before trending towards predicted monthly values 
by 05-Jan, as the geomagnetic activity subsides. Sporadic-E may 
be observed during local night hours. Shortwave fadeouts are 
possible.

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5. SPACE ENVIRONMENT SUMMARY

GOES satellite data for 01 Jan
       Daily Proton Fluence >1 MeV:   1.1E+06
       Daily Proton Fluence >10 MeV:  1.5E+04
       Daily Electron Fluence >2 MeV: 4.90E+07   (normal fluence)
Electron Fluence Daily Deep Dielectric Discharge Probability: 7%
Fluence (flux accumulation over 24hrs)/ cm2-ster-day.
       X-ray background: C1.0

DSCOVR Satellite Solar Wind Day Averaged Data for 01 Jan
Speed: 479 km/sec  Density:    2.6 p/cc  Temp:   130000 K  Bz:  -2 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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