[Ips-dsgr] ASWFC Daily Report - 21 July 26 issued 2330 UT on 21 Jul 2026 [SEC=OFFICIAL]

Australian Space Weather Forecasting Centre aswfc at bom.gov.au
Wed Jul 22 09:30:50 AEST 2026


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

Flares    Max     Fadeout    Freq.  Sectors
  M3.4 20/2225UT  possible   lower  East Pacific/
                                    North American
  M1.9    1727UT  possible   lower  South American/
                                    Atlantic

Observed 10.7 cm flux/Equivalent Sunspot Number for 21 Jul: 149/104


1B. SOLAR FORECAST
             22 Jul             23 Jul             24 Jul
Activity     R1, chance of R2   R1, chance of R2   R1, chance of R2
Fadeouts     Possible           Possible           Possible
10.7cm/SSN   150/105            148/102            145/99

COMMENT: Solar flare activity on UT day 21-Jul reached the R1 
level, due to an M1.9 flare peaking at 21/1727UT from Active 
Region (AR) 4493 (N05W04, beta-gamma-delta). This region is the 
largest and most magnetically complex of five on the visible 
solar disk, and has continued to show growth over the past UT 
day, including development of a second delta spot. All other 
regions on the disk have remained mostly stable over the same 
period. Solar flare activity is forecast to be at the R1 level 
over 22-24 Jul, with a chance of R2, due to the magnetic complexity 
and flare activity of AR 4493. S0 solar radiation storm conditions 
were observed over 21-Jul, with the proton flux consistent with 
background values. S0 solar radiation storm conditions are forecast 
over 22-24 Jul. A faint, high-velocity, north-west-directed coronal 
mass ejection (CME) was observed in SOHO/LASCO and STEREO/COR2 
imaging from 21/1436UT, following flare activity from AR 4493. 
Modelling of this CME suggests a glancing impact with Earth at 
23/1500 +/- 12 hours, although confidence is reduced due to the 
faint nature of the CME, as well as gaps in coronagraph imaging. 
The solar wind speed increased over UT day 21-Jul, as the Earth 
connected with a coronal hole high speed wind stream. The solar 
wind speed began the day at ~280 km/s, and has increased to be 
currently at 410-430 km/s. The interplanetary magnetic field 
strength (IMF, Bt) peaked at 17 nT, with the north-south component 
(Bz) ranging between -12 and +14 nT over the UT day, with extended 
periods of southward Bz observed between 21/0610UT and 21/0836UT, 
and between 21/1252UT and 21/1700UT. The solar wind is expected 
to continue to increase over 22-24 Jul as the high speed wind 
stream effects continue. An additional small discrete increase 
in the solar wind speed may be observed on 23-Jul due to the 
possible glancing impact of the previously mentioned CME first 
observed on 21-Jul.

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2A. MAGNETIC SUMMARY

Geomagnetic field for Australian Region 21 Jul: G0

Estimated Indices 21 Jul : A   K           
   Australian Region       9   12242321
      Cocos Island         6   12231211
      Darwin               7   22141211
      Townsville          10   22242322
      Learmonth           10   22242322
      Alice Springs        9   12242311
      Gingin               9   12242321
      Canberra             9   12242311
      Kennaook Cape Grim   9   12242321
      Hobart               8   12232321    

Estimated Antarctic Regional K Indices 21 Jul :
      Macquarie Island    14   11352421
      Casey               11   33232223
      Mawson              29   22342565

Observed Regional daily pc3 Indices 21 Jul : 
      Darwin               0   (Quiet)
      Townsville           0   (Quiet)
      Learmonth            0   (Quiet)
      Alice Springs        0   (Quiet)
      Gingin               0   (Quiet)
      Canberra             0   (Quiet)
      Hobart               2   (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 Jul : A 
           Fredericksburg        12
           Planetary             15                         

Observed AFr/Ap Indices 20 Jul :  A   K
           Fredericksburg         4
           Planetary              4   1111 1111     


2B. MAGNETIC FORECAST 
Date      Ap    Conditions
22 Jul    24    G1, chance of G2
23 Jul    20    G1, chance of G2
24 Jul    15    G0, chance of G1

COMMENT: ASWFC Geomagnetic Warning 45 was issued on 21 July and 
is current for 22-23 Jul. Geomagnetic conditions in the Australian 
region were at the G0 level on UT day 21-Jul, with G0 conditions 
also reported at the planetary level. G1-G2 conditions were reported 
in the Antarctic region, as the effects of a coronal hole high 
speed wind stream commenced. G1 geomagnetic conditions, with 
a chance of G2, are forecast over 22-23 Jul due to the ongoing 
coronal hole high speed wind stream effects, combined with a 
possible glancing CME impact on 23-Jul. G0 geomagnetic conditions, 
with a chance of G1, are forecast for 24-Jul as these effects 
subside.

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

PCA Event : No event.

3B. GLOBAL HF PROPAGATION FORECAST
	            Latitude Band
Date        Low            Middle         High 
22 Jul      Fair           Fair           Fair
23 Jul      Fair           Fair           Fair
24 Jul      Normal-fair    Normal-fair    Normal-fair

COMMENT: Global high-frequency (HF) radio propagation conditions 
were mostly normal on UT day 21-Jul, with some degradations in 
high latitude regions in the northern hemisphere. Global HF propagation 
conditions are forecast to be fair over 22-23 Jul due to forecast 
geomagnetic activity. HF propagation conditions will then improve 
to normal to fair on 24-Jul as these effects subside. Shortwave 
fadeouts are possible.

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4A. AUSTRALIAN REGION IONOSPHERIC SUMMARY


Date   T index
21 Jul    76

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.
   Northern Australian Region:
      Near predicted monthly values.
   Southern Australian Region:
      Near predicted monthly values during local day.
      Enhanced by 25% during local night.
   Antarctic Region (Casey/Davis/Mawson):
      Near predicted monthly values over the UT day.

Monthly T index:
Month  T index
Jun      81
Jul      66
Aug      63

4B. AUSTRALIAN REGION IONOSPHERIC FORECAST
Date   T index  MUFs
22 Jul    50    Depressed 15%/near predicted monthly values
23 Jul    50    Depressed 15%/near predicted monthly values
24 Jul    65    Near predicted monthly values

COMMENT: ASWFC SWF HF Communications Warning 66 was issued on 
21 July and is current for 21-22 Jul. Maximum Usable Frequencies 
(MUFs) in the Australian region were near predicted values on 
21-Jul, with some enhancements of up to 25% observed in the southern 
Australian region during local night hours. Sporadic E was observed 
in the northern Australian region, Norfolk Island, and Niue Island 
during local night hours. MUFs are forecast to become depressed 
by up to 15% over 22-23 Jul due to expected geomagnetic activity 
over this period, before recovering to near predicted values 
on 24-Jul. Shortwave fadeouts are possible.

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5. SPACE ENVIRONMENT SUMMARY

GOES satellite data for 20 Jul
       Daily Proton Fluence >1 MeV:   2.6E+05
       Daily Proton Fluence >10 MeV:  1.8E+04
       Daily Electron Fluence >2 MeV: 5.90E+07   (normal fluence)
Electron Fluence Daily Deep Dielectric Discharge Probability: 8%
Fluence (flux accumulation over 24hrs)/ cm2-ster-day.
       X-ray background: C1.0

DSCOVR Satellite Solar Wind Day Averaged Data for 20 Jul
Speed: 266 km/sec  Density:    3.4 p/cc  Temp:    29600 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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