STD - Last Update (12.30 UTC)

[Heiko]

Last Update: 02 May 2003, 12:30 UTC (8:30 am EDT 02 May):

Aurora / Geomagnetic Activity Update: The coronal hole based solar wind disturbance is gradually subsiding. Generally unsettled to active geomagnetic conditions are expected to dominate over the next 24 to 72 hours. Isolated and sporadic high latitude minor storm activity will remain possible through the next 24 to 48 hours over the local evening and early morning sectors.

Solar Update: Active Region 349 should now be visible to the protected unaided eye. It has developed into a large and moderately complex spot group. Magnetically, it is still fairly simple and should remain constrained to producing C-class and perhaps isolated minor M-class flares. The potential exists for this region to begin producing more significant solar flares in the future, particularly if new opposite polarity flux begins to emerge. Region 345 is much smaller, but contains stronger levels of magnetic shear. It spawned a class M1.0 solar flare at 03:08 UTC today (no notable CME activity was observed). Additional M-class flares are possible with a slight chance of a major flare - possibly in conjunction with Region 349 which is in close proximity to Region 345.