The Kp index reached a value of 8 today, after the planet was struck by one or more CMEs, pushing the planet into a Severe Geomagnetic Storm (G4), something we haven’t seen for 20 years.  Multiple additional CMEs are headed towards Earth.  Fortunately we aren’t expected to see a Kp of 9 (Extreme), but who knows.  Currently the storm will likely be producing auroral activity that may be visible as far south as Texas and Alabama.  (Sadly, New England weather is anticipated to be cloudy overnight).

I subscribe to the Auroral Alert program from SpaceWeather.com so my phone has been buzzing with SMS messages for days now as many X-level flares have been detected.  Sure enough, I observed the noise floor increase and the waterfall go dead about an hour after the CME impact.

Capture of Solar Data from SolarHam.com – showing today and tomorrow being a level 8 storm.

From the Space Weather Prediction Center showing the radio blackout when the CME hit around 10 AM EDT.

SWPC – Shows the high level of D layer absorption happing as the particles from the CME spread out into the Ionosphere 2 hours later. Note 35dB attenuation in the 20 meter band, and that is one way. In other words 35dB going up thru the D layer to the F layer, the 35dB coming down, for a total of 70dB  Nothing like a 12 S-unit reduction in signal strength!

As I type this, my side of the planet has undergone a sudden R2 radio blackout due to a M 6.8 solar flare.  Sadly no 40/20/15 meter contacts for the next few hours.

As I was confirming the flare, I checked up on the Solar Flux Index for Cycle 25, and discovered we are now well outside of the upper predicted limit for the cycle.  This is making our HF work both challenging (like today), and fascinating (a few days from now when the ionosphere calms down).  I’ve been enjoying world-wide DX at night recently, something I haven’t seen since 2012.