M9.3 solar flare, S3 proton storm, Earth-directed CME

Saturday, 8 June 2024 15:29 UTC

The eruption was associated with Type II and IV radio sweeps and produced a bright coronal mass ejection and quickly following the flare solar protons started to arrive at Earth. We currently are in a moderate S2 solar radiation storm but we briefly crossed the strong S3 solar radiation threshold which makes this the first time we reached the S3 threshold since 2017 and the strongest solar radiation storm of the current Solar Cycle thus far. For more information about solar radiation storm we invite you to read this help article. 

Let's take a look once again at that beautiful coronal mass ejection. Sunspot region 3697 is close to the west limb but despite that we still see an asymmetrical halo CME outline. A majority of the ejecta is heading well west of our planet but a glancing blow is possible around mid-day on Monday, 10 June. A minor G1 geomagnetic storm watch is in effect for the second half of 10 June.

Sunspot region 3697 has been relatively quiet the past few days as she made her way towards the west limb but she was not planning to exit stage right without one final song. At 01:49 UTC this night the region produced a highly eruptive long duration M9.7 (R2-moderate) solar… pic.twitter.com/Dn3qVkxSoB

— SpaceWeatherLive (@_SpaceWeather_) June 8, 2024