show styles

29 August 2011
20110828 Week Rotation Today Rotation Week 20110830

NOAA
10 Active Regions
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
11275 Bxo 5(10) 1(1) 0(1)
11277 Hsx 4(5) 1(1) 0(1)
11278 Axx 2(1) 0(1) 0(1)
11279 Cso 12(5) 2(1) 0(1)
11280 Bxo 5(10) 1(1) 0(1)
11281 Cso 12(15) 2(1) 0(1)

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
11275 N07W28
(444",11")
β/β Bxo/Cso 0010/0030 04/02 -
11277 N17E16
(-251",167")
α/α Hsx/Hsx 0040/0080 01/01 -
11278 N16W90
(912",259")
α/ Axx/ 0000/ 01/ -
11279 N13E25
(-392",108")
β/α Cso/Hsx 0080/0120 03/03 -
11280 N17W12
(189",165")
β/β Bxo/Cro 0010/0020 02/03 -
11281 S21E56
(-736",-400")
β/- Cso/--- 0060/---- 02/-- -
11271 N16W91
(912",261")
/Cso /0060 /04 -
11272 S21W91
(886",-335")
/ / / / -
11274 N17W46
(655",197")
/ / / / -
11276 N20W30
(447",227")
/ / / / -

Events not associated with currently named NOAA regions: C3.7(07:06) C2.9(10:15)

Note: The tabulated data are based on the most recent NOAA/USAF Active Region Summary issued on 29-Aug-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 29-Aug-2011 15:30 UT .