THE SOLAR WIND IS BLOWING: Earth is inside a stream of fast-moving (~600 km/s) solar wind, which is causing geomagnetic unrest around the poles. This is not a storm-level event. However, Arctic sky watchers should be alert for auroras after nightfall on Nov. 2nd.

Solar wind
speed: 546.9 km/sec
density: 8.2 protons/cm3
more data: ACE, DSCOVR
Updated: Today at 1135 UT

X-ray Solar Flares
6-hr max: B4 0830 UT Nov03
24-hr: C1 1305 UT Nov02
explanation | more data
Updated: Today at: 1140 UT

HERE COMES A CANNIBAL CME: It's official. The CME heading for Earth is a cannibal. SOHO coronagraphs recorded the CME leaving the sun on Nov. 2nd following a slow-motion solar flare (M1.7) in the magnetic canopy of sunspot AR2891:

Cannibal CMEs are fast coronal mass ejections that sweep up slower CMEs in front of them. Piled together, the mish-mash of CMEs contain strong magnetic fields and compressed plasmas that can do a good job sparking geomagnetic storms.
The slower CMEs, in this case, were hurled into space on Nov. 1st and 2nd by departing sunspot AR2887. NOAA analysts plugged all the plasma clouds into a computer model, and this is what they found:

The animation shows the cannibal cloud sweeping up one whole CME and a portion of another. If NOAA's model is correct, the combined CME will make first contact with our planet around 2300 UT on Nov. 3rd, with geomagnetic storms commencing on Nov. 4th.

The model also predicts a +300 km/s increase in solar wind speed and a 5-fold jump in solar wind density in the CME's wake. These conditions, if they materialize, would set the stage for geomagnetic storms as strong as category G2.

Solar wind
speed: 503.3 km/sec
density: 6.2 protons/cm3
more data: ACE, DSCOVR
Updated: Today at 1425 UT

X-ray Solar Flares
6-hr max: B4 0830 UT Nov03
24-hr: B7 0016 UT Nov03
explanation | more data
Updated: Today at: 1430 UT

🔥 🔥 Solar wind
speed: 762 km/sec
density: 0.8 protons/cm3
more data: ACE, DSCOVR
Updated: Today at 2120 UT

X-ray Solar Flares
6-hr max: C5 2116 UT Nov03
24-hr: C5 2116 UT Nov03
explanation | more data
Updated: Today at: 2125 UT

CME IMPACT --> GEOMAGNETIC STORM WARNING: A cannibal CME, described below, has just hit Earth's magnetic field. Solar wind data from the DSCOVR spacecraft show a stairstep structure indicative of two or more CMEs pressed together. G1- to G2-class geomagnetic storms are possible in the hours ahead.

Solar wind
speed: 719 km/sec
density: 0.6 protons/cm3
more data: ACE, DSCOVR
Updated: Today at 2232 UT

X-ray Solar Flares
6-hr max: C5 2116 UT Nov03
24-hr: C5 2116 UT Nov03
explanation | more data
Updated: Today at: 2235 UT

Solar wind
speed: 623.2 km/sec
density: 6.7 protons/cm3
more data: ACE, DSCOVR
Updated: Today at 1601 UT

X-ray Solar Flares
6-hr max: C3 1053 UT Nov04
24-hr: C5 2116 UT Nov03
explanation | more data
Updated: Today at: 1605 UT

Solar wind
speed: 588.8 km/sec
density: 21.1 protons/cm3
more data: ACE, DSCOVR
Updated: Today at 0525 UT

X-ray Solar Flares
6-hr max: B3 0153 UT Nov05
24-hr: C3 1053 UT Nov04
explanation | more data
Updated: Today at: 0530 UT

THE STORM IS OVER: Earth's magnetic field is calming as our planet exits the wake of a Cannibal CME, which struck on Nov. 3rd. Almost 20 hours of strong geomagnetic storms followed the CME's impact. During the apex of the category G3 event, auroras were sighted as far south as California, New Mexico and Colorado. The storm is over now.

Solar wind
speed: 574.2 km/sec
density: 13.2 protons/cm3
more data: ACE, DSCOVR
Updated: Today at 0935 UT

X-ray Solar Flares
6-hr max: C1 0347 UT Nov06
24-hr: C2 2157 UT Nov05
explanation | more data
Updated: Today at: 0940 UT

Solar wind
speed: 452.5 km/sec
density: 3.3 protons/cm3
more data: ACE, DSCOVR
Updated: Today at 1700 UT

X-ray Solar Flares
6-hr max: B5 1105 UT Nov07
24-hr: B6 1035 UT Nov07
explanation | more data
Updated: Today at: 1705 UT

Solar wind
speed: 421.4 km/sec
density: 3.3 protons/cm3
more data: ACE, DSCOVR
Updated: Today at 0559 UT

X-ray Solar Flares
6-hr max: B7 0510 UT Nov08
24-hr: B7 0510 UT Nov08
explanation | more data
Updated: Today at: 0605 UT

Solar wind
speed: 386.9 km/sec
density: 11.8 protons/cm3
more data: ACE, DSCOVR
Updated: Today at 0016 UT

X-ray Solar Flares
6-hr max: B3 2251 UT Nov08
24-hr: C1 0751 UT Nov08
explanation | more data
Updated: Today at: 0020 UT

INCOMING SOLAR WIND STREAM: A minor stream of solar wind is approaching Earth, and it could cause polar geomagnetic unrest when it arrives on Nov. 8th or 9th.
The gaseous material is flowing from an equatorial hole in the sun's atmosphere. Auroras could appear around the Arctic Circle as the planetary K-index reaches a value of 3 or 4.

Solar wind
speed: 357.2 km/sec
density: 3.6 protons/cm3
more data: ACE, DSCOVR
Updated: Today at 1000 UT

X-ray Solar Flares
6-hr max: B2 0921 UT Nov09
24-hr: B5 0214 UT Nov09
explanation | more data
Updated: Today at: 1005 UT

Solar wind
speed: 434.3 km/sec
density: 7.0 protons/cm3
more data: ACE, DSCOVR
Updated: Today at 0640 UT

X-ray Solar Flares
6-hr max: B6 0124 UT Nov10
24-hr: M2 1702 UT Nov09
explanation | more data
Updated: Today at: 0645 UT

HIDDEN SUNSPOT TOUCHES EARTH: A sunspot hiding behind the sun's northwestern limb touched Earth yesterday. Unseen by NASA satellites, the sunspot erupted on Nov. 9th (1701 UT), producing an M2-class solar flare.

Even though the flare was mostly eclipsed by the edge of the sun, it still managed to cause a shortwave radio blackout over South America. The same explosion also hurled a bright CME into space. The CME will not hit Earth.

Solar wind
speed: 374.2 km/sec
density: 6.7 protons/cm3
more data: ACE, DSCOVR
Updated: Today at 1549 UT

X-ray Solar Flares
6-hr max: B1 1009 UT Nov11
24-hr: B3 0423 UT Nov11
explanation | more data
Updated: Today at: 1555 UT

THE FORECAST CALLS FOR QUIET: There are three sunspots on the sun today, but all three have stable magnetic fields that pose little threat for strong solar flares. Solar activity is low and likely to remain so for the next 24 to 48 hours.