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 20 July 2000
⇐20000719 ⇐Week ⇐Rotation Today Rotation⇒ Week⇒ 20000721⇒

Welcome to the Flare Prediction System. This page gives the active regions on the Sun today together with each regions probability for producing C-, M-, or X-class events. The flare probabilities were calculated using NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center data from nearly eight years of data starting November 1988 and ending June 1996. The percentage probabilities are based on the number of flares produced by regions classified using the McIntosh classification scheme (McIntosh, P., 1990, Solar Physics, 125, 251) during cycle 22. For example, between November 1988 and June 1996 there were 302 regions classified Eai. As this class produced 62 M-class events, the mean M-class flare rate is ~62/302 or ~0.21 flares per day. Assuming the number of flares per unit time is governed by Poisson statistics, we can estimate a flaring probability for the following 24-hours using P( one or more flares ) = 1 - exp( -mean ), i.e., P = 1 - exp( -0.21 ) ~ 0.19, or 19% for an Eai class region to produce one or more M-class flares in the next 24-hours. See Wheatland, M. S., 2001, Solar Physics, 203, 87 and Moon et al., 2001, Journal of Geophysical Research-Space Physics, 106(A12) 29951 for further details.

Click here for a description of the various active region classifications from the Royal Observatory of Belgium.
Region Flare Probabilities (%)
Number McIntosh C-class M-class X-class
No Prediction Found

NOTE: Values in parantheses/brackets give the NOAA/SWPC forecast probabilities for the occurrence of one or more C-, M-, or X-class flares. When viewed in real-time and before 22:00 UT, predictions are valid up to 22:00 UT on the current date. When viewed in real-time after 22:00 UT (or when viewing past dates), predictions are valid up to 22:00 UT on the following date. The most recent data can also be found at NOAA's 3-day Space Weather Predictions page.

Please contact Peter Gallagher if you have any comments or questions regarding this research.

IDL Access

Today's NOAA Active Regions
Group Number
Location
Hale
Class
McIntosh Class
Sunspot
Area
Number of Spots
Flares
History
09077 N19W86
(891",301") 		β/βγ Fao/Eai 0080/0200 11/25 /C3.4(16:07)
09079 S26W77
(827",-429") 		α/α Hax/Hsx 0060/0050 01/01 -
09080 N24W67
(795",354") 		β/β Dao/Bxo 0120/0020 12/04 -
09081 N04W49
(713",12") 		α/β Hsx/Cso 0070/0070 01/04 -
09084 N19W68
(829",278") 		β/β Dao/Dao 0280/0170 07/11 -
09085 N14W32
(487",161") 		β/β Eao/Eao 0260/0300 21/21 -
09087 S12W15
(240",-273") 		βγδ/βγδ Fac/Eai 0510/0450 51/36 M3.6(09:21)
C7.0(13:16)
C7.0(15:43)
M5.0(20:22)
C3.5(22:10)
/C6.7(04:27)
M6.4(06:45)
C3.5(16:30)
09088 N22W49
(662",304") 		β/β Dao/Dao 0170/0170 12/19 -
09090 N11E18
(-287",104") 		β/βγ Fao/Fao 0190/0190 28/20 C5.1(14:54)
C5.7(16:36)
C5.7(18:43)
C6.1(20:09)
09091 S06E13
(-212",-177") 		β/β Cao/Cso 0040/0070 03/04 -
09092 S25W51
(666",-444") 		β/β Cro/Dso 0030/0030 03/06 -
09094 S24E23
(-338",-452") 		α/α Hax/Hsx 0050/0060 01/01 -
09095 N24W27
(393",318") 		β/β Cro/Dao 0030/0050 10/08 -
09096 S14E45
(-650",-284") 		β/α Dao/Hsx 0070/0060 02/01 -
09097 N05E52
(-743",32") 		β/β Dao/Dso 0370/0200 04/02 C5.5(03:13)
C6.5(03:46)
/C5.8(18:34)
C3.6(21:55)
09098 S02W35
(543",-99") 		β/- Bxo/- 0010/- 04/- -
09099 N11E60
(-804",140") 		α/- Hsx/- 0050/- 01/- -

Events not associated with currently named NOAA regions: C5.7(17:44) C4.5(19:30) C4.9(23:07)

Note: The tabulated data are based on the most recent NOAA/USAF Active Region Summary issued on 20-Jul-2000 00:30 , the values to the right of the forward slashes representing yesterdays values or events. Regions with no data in above property fields have decayed and exhibit no spots. The region positions are valid on 20-Jul-2000 23:30.