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 15 April 2011
⇐20110414 ⇐Week ⇐Rotation Today Rotation⇒ Week⇒ 20110416⇒

NOAA
10 Active Regions
11185
11186
11190
11191
11192
11193
11194
11187
11188
11189
SMART
No Data
CHARM
No Data
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

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
11185 N16W77
(896",282") 		α/β Hrx/Cao 0020/0030 02/10 /C1.6(12:26)
11186 N21W61
(781",383") 		α/β Hrx/Csi 0020/0070 06/15 -
11190 N13W26
(409",296") 		β/βγ Eki/Eac 0240/0150 37/34 C1.8(03:43)
C1.3(04:37)
C1.3(09:10)
C1.9(11:29)
C2.8(13:47)
C2.0(14:42)
C1.6(16:08)
M1.3(17:02)
/C2.3(09:38)
C2.4(15:21)
C1.1(17:07)
C1.1(21:11)
11191 N08E33
(-517",210") 		β/α Cao/Hsx 0100/0140 03/01 -
11192 N10W40
(607",236") 		β/β Bxo/Bxo 0010/0020 02/03 -
11193 N16E46
(-662",325") 		β/β Dao/Dao 0260/0220 09/06 /C4.9(05:20)
C1.6(06:56)
11194 S32W54
(657",-458") 		β/- Bxo/--- 0010/---- 02/-- -
11187 S22W41
(583",-292") 		/β /Bxo /0010 /02 -
11188 S24W91
(873",-388") 		/ / / / -
11189 N21W85
(889",348") 		/α /Axx /0010 /02 -

Events not associated with currently named NOAA regions: None

Note: The tabulated data are based on the most recent NOAA/USAF Active Region Summary issued on 15-Apr-2011 00:30 UT , 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 15-Apr-2011 20:30 UT .