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 29 December 2011
⇐20111228 ⇐Week ⇐Rotation Today Rotation⇒ Week⇒ 20111230⇒

NOAA
9 Active Regions
11383
11384
11386
11387
11388
11389
11390
11380
11385
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
11383 Bxo 5(5) 1(1) 0(1)
11384 Cko 26(30) 6(5) 0(1)
11386 Dai 38(45) 11(5) 2(1)
11387 Dki 41(25) 20(5) 3(1)
11388 Hsx 4(5) 1(1) 0(1)
11389 Dso 20(99) 4(40) 0(5)
11390 Bxo 5(25) 1(5) 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
11383 N04W68
(903",85") 		β/α Bxo/Axx 0005/0000 03/01 -
11384 N12W55
(783",228") 		β/β Cko/Dho 0350/0350 10/09 -
11386 S18W05
(81",-258") 		βγ/βγ Dai/Dai 0180/0200 15/12 /C4.0(20:18)
11387 S21W83
(904",-344") 		βγ/βγ Dki/Dki 0290/0290 14/17 /C2.3(00:14)
11388 S24E42
(-598",-366") 		α/α Hsx/Hsx 0100/0090 01/01 -
11389 S20E57
(-770",-310") 		β/- Dso/--- 0200/---- 06/-- C1.2(03:16)
C3.0(03:58)
C1.2(05:16)
C3.0(06:15)
C7.3(07:12)
C5.4(08:40)
C1.5(09:42)
C1.0(11:37)
C2.8(16:14)
C2.9(17:27)
C1.5(18:13)
C2.3(19:18)
C2.3(20:25)
C2.5(20:53)
M1.9(13:40)
11390 N09E31
(-498",192") 		β/- Bxo/--- 0010/---- 03/-- -
11380 S20W91
(916",-333") 		/β /Bxo /0010 /03 -
11385 S32W79
(812",-509") 		/β /Bxo /0010 /02 -

Events not associated with currently named NOAA regions: /C2.1(01:54) C4.5(03:30) C2.6(05:19) C1.1(11:49) C2.0(13:05) C7.2(14:17) C3.1(16:03) C1.3(19:46) C2.3(20:53) C6.2(21:21)

Note: The tabulated data are based on the most recent NOAA/USAF Active Region Summary issued on 29-Dec-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-Dec-2011 22:00 UT .