S1 Radiation Storm And G3 (Strong) Geomagnetic Storm Watch Issued By US - News 10.29.2021

Well, this isn’t getting nearly enough coverage — usually NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center dashboard is a boring sea of grey boxes. Over the last 48 hours, it has become a stream of red and yellow boxes, and warnings.

NOAA predicting a radiation storm

A G3 classification, or Strong, geomagnetic storm watch has been issued for October 30, 2021. Additionally, NOAA admits on its site “An S1 (Minor) radiation storm began on 28 October, 2021, at 1740 UTC (1:40 pm EDT).”

Feeling weird right around that time? You aren’t alone. A number of anecdotal reports surface online around that time, of behavioral changes and radio reception problems.

Additionally, over the last 48 hours x-ray level fluctuation from the Sun’s solar flares has breached the X-level — the strongest class of flare recorded.

“An R3 (Strong radio blackout) event took place due to an X1 flare at 1535 UTC (11:35 am EDT) on 28 October from Region 2887,” NOAA published.

X-magnitude activity recorded on October 28, 2021 — screenshot via NOAA

In aggregate, this is a very unusual cluster of activity and warnings from NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center. We’ll keep you posted as this story develops.

Geomagnetic storm watch issued for October 30, 2021 — screenshot via NOAA

Proton flux shot above Warning Threshold levels also — screenshot via NOAA

Earlier this year, back in the Summer, we noted that Solar Cycle 25 already had six distinct sunspots, as well as X 1.5-class activity — contradicting early hopes by authorities that this Solar Cycle would be calm, and mostly unremarkable.

—FULCRUM Research