The Sun Fires a Direct Hit | Solar Storm Forecast 06.30.2022

Just as we are calming down from one solar storm, our Sun sends us another! Although this solar storm is wispy and slow, it is rather large and could give us some decent aurora possibilities this week. NASA predictions indicate it should hit Earth around mid-day on July 1. Aurora photographers at high-latitudes should get some decent views through the weekend. Mid-latitudes might be a bit more sporadic (if at all) due to the slowness and wispy nature of this solar storm. Solar flux has taken a hit this week, dropping back into the mid-90s for the first time in a few weeks. Amateur radio operators will likely notice radio propagation worsening a bit. Sadly, these conditions will continue easily over the July 4th holiday (in the USA) and possibly continue through next week as well before things improve. One nice thing is that GPS reception conditions are improving, even at low latitudes due to the lower solar flux and low risk for radio blackouts. However, GPS users should stay vigilant once the solar storm hits, especially near dawn and dusk and anywhere near aurora. Learn the details of the coming solar storm and see what else our Sun has in store!