show styles

 26 March 2012
⇐20120325 ⇐Week ⇐Rotation Today Rotation⇒ Week⇒ 20120327⇒

NOAA
8 Active Regions
11438
11440
11443
11444
11445
11446
11436
11442
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
11438 Hsx 4(5) 1(1) 0(1)
11444 Cao 16(15) 2(1) 0(1)
11445 Fho 43(55) 11(20) 0(5)
11442 / 0(15) 0(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
11438 S17W12
(191",-173") 		α/α Hsx/Hax 0020/0030 02/01 -
11440 S25W91
(870",-405") 		α/α Hrx/Hrx 0020/0010 02/02 -
11443 N16E11
(-177",371") 		α/α Axx/Axx 0000/0010 01/01 -
11444 N19W02
(31",419") 		β/β Cao/Cao 0060/0050 07/07 /C3.0(00:15)
C1.2(08:32)
11445 S24E39
(-554",-308") 		β/β Fho/Eao 0280/0100 08/04 -
11446 N23W40
(570",454") 		β/- Bxo/--- 0010/---- 04/-- -
11436 S14W76
(905",-204") 		/ / / / -
11442 N13W06
(98",325") 		/ / / / -

Events not associated with currently named NOAA regions: C1.4(06:23) /C2.5(01:38)

Note: The tabulated data are based on the most recent NOAA/USAF Active Region Summary issued on 26-Mar-2012 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 26-Mar-2012 23:00 UT .