Wandering Adventures & Outdoor Activities

G2 Geomagnetic Storm Watch Posted for Friday, October 9

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Full-disk image of the Sun in visible light from NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory.
The Sun in visible light, from the latest-image feed of NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory on the morning of October 8, 2026. Image: Courtesy of NASA/SDO and the AIA, EVE, and HMI science teams.

NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center has a G2 (moderate) geomagnetic storm watch out for Friday, October 9. A cloud of solar material that left the Sun on October 6, tied to an M1.4 flare from sunspot Region 4549, is expected to arrive and stir up Earth’s magnetic field, with G1 to G2 storming likely.

For hams, that can mean noisy, unsettled HF bands, especially on paths that cross the polar regions, though a storm sometimes brings aurora and unusual VHF openings too. Today looks calmer: early this morning the planetary K index was under 2, and yesterday’s solar flux was 114. It is a good day to get on the air before things get bumpy.

Source: NOAA SWPC, G2 (Moderate) Geomagnetic Storm Watch for 09 Oct, with today’s numbers from the SWPC geophysical alert message.

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