Minor C8.6 solar flare erupts at 22:31 UTC on December 22, 2025

A minor C8.6 solar flare erupted at 22:31 UTC on December 22, 2025.

Today’s flare events include a C2.3 flare from region 4316 at 00:30 UTC, a C1.6 flare from region 4317 at 01:15 UTC, a C2.0 flare from region 4317 at 08:46 UTC, and a C2.8 flare from region 4316 at 09:14 UTC. No M-class or X-class solar flares have been recorded for December 22, 2025.

In 24 hours to 12:30 UTC on December 22, solar activity reached moderate levels. The period’s strongest event was an M1.3 flare at 18:27 UTC on December 21. C-class activity was produced by region 4317, while new region 4318 was numbered but showed no significant activity. Other notable events included multiple filament eruptions, with associated CMEs under analysis.

Solar activity is likely to be at low levels with an increasing 30–40% chance for M-class flares over December 22–24.

Active sunspot regions presently observed on the Earth-facing solar disk include AR 4311 (N03W54 – Beta), AR 4312 (N18E20 – Alpha), AR 4315 (N19E35 – Beta), AR 4316 (S08E26 – Beta), and AR 4317 (N11E64 – Beta).

Over the past 24 hours, the greater than 2 MeV electron flux reached high levels, peaking at 1 570 pfu, while the greater than 10 MeV proton flux remained at background levels. The greater than 2 MeV electron flux is expected to remain at normal to moderate levels on December 22–23, with high levels likely on December 24. The greater than 10 MeV proton flux is expected to stay at background levels through December 24.

The solar wind environment remained enhanced due to CIR effects, followed by positive polarity coronal hole high speed stream (CH HSS) influences. Total magnetic field strength decreased from a peak of 13 nT to about 7 nT, and the Bz component briefly reached -11 nT. Solar wind speeds rose from approximately 575 km/s to 800 km/s, with a positive phi throughout. Enhanced solar wind conditions are expected to prevail from December 22–24 due to ongoing CH HSS and a possible CME influence from December 20 expected to pass near Earth on December 24.

The geomagnetic field reached G1 – Minor storm levels due to CIR effects and the onset of positive polarity CH HSS. G1 – Minor geomagnetic storm conditions are likely on December 22–23, with periods of active conditions possible on December 24 as CH HSS wanes and a CME (from December 20) may affect Earth.