Geomagnetic Storm Watch Effective 7-9 December
A minor (G1) geomagnetic storm watch is now in effect for the next three days. Coronal Hole #43 will become geoeffective and a high speed solar wind stream flowing from this zone is expected to reach Earth over the next day or so. Sky watchers at higher latitudes should be alert for visible aurora.
Further analysis suggests G1 minor storm conditions are now likely 07-09 December as a negative polarity CH HSS influences the near-Earth environment. The G1 Watch has been expanded to include all 3 of these days. http://sdo.gsfc.nasa.gov/
GEOMAGNETIC STORM WATCH: Minor G1-class geomagnetic storms are likely for the next three days as Earth passes through a high-speed stream of solar wind. The action is expected to commence on Dec. 7-8 with the arrival of a CIR (co-rotating interaction region). CIRs are transition zones between slow- and fast-moving solar wind. Solar wind plasma piles up in these regions, producing density gradients and shock waves that do a good job of sparking Arctic auroras. Solar wind blowing furiously behind the CIR could energize the light show through Dec. 10th.
Clip, images credit: NOAA/SWPC & NASA/SDO
