Strong M8.6 solar flare erupts at 22:07 UTC on November 5, 2025

A strong M8.6 solar flare erupted at 22:07 UTC on November 5, 2025.

Today’s flares include an M7.4 solar flare from region 4274 that began at 10:36 UTC, peaked at 11:19 UTC, and ended at 11:43 UTC. Multiple C-class flares and minor M-class events were also reported throughout the day. There is no X-class flare or M8.6 event listed in today’s official event summaries at this time.

In 24 hours to 12:30 UTC on November 5, solar activity reached high levels due to a pair of X-class flares on November 4 and an M7.4 flare on November 5. Analysis of potential ejecta from the latest events is ongoing.

Solar activity forecast: There is a 70% probability for R1 – Minor to R2 – Moderate radio blackouts, and a 25% probability for R3 – Strong radio blackout levels due to the ongoing activity and the complex structure of region 4274.

Active sunspot regions presently observed on the Earth-facing solar disk include AR 4272 (N22E36 – Beta), AR 4273 (S12W01 – Beta-Gamma), AR 4274 (N24E53 – Beta-Gamma-Delta), and AR 4275 (N07E61 – Beta-Gamma).

Over the past 24 hours, the greater than 2 MeV electron flux remained above the 1 000 pfu threshold during diurnal maxima but shows a decreasing trend as Earth moves out of coronal hole high-speed stream influence. The greater than 10 MeV proton flux was elevated but stayed below S1 – Minor storm threshold after X-class flare activity early on November 5. Increased proton activity reaching S1 levels is possible from November 5–7 due to flaring potential from region 4274.

Solar wind parameters remained near nominal levels, with solar wind speeds between 341 and 447 km/s and total magnetic field between 3 and 7 nT. A prolonged southward Bz reached -6 nT starting 20:44 UTC on November 4. Solar wind is expected to remain nominal through November 6, before potential enhancement from a coronal hole high-speed stream and trailing CME material beginning late on November 6 into November 7.

The geomagnetic field ranged from quiet to active levels, primarily due to the extended period of southward Bz. Conditions are expected to remain quiet to active for November 5, with possible G1 – Minor storm levels late November 6 into November 7. There is also a slight chance for G2 – Moderate geomagnetic storming as coronal hole high-speed stream and CME influences increase.