Moderate M2.6 solar flare erupts at 15:14 UTC on May 7, 2026

A moderate M2.6 solar flare erupted at 15:14 UTC on May 7, 2026.

Today’s flares include a C4.5 flare at 02:15 UTC, a C2.3 flare from AR 4431 at 10:45 UTC, a C1.5 flare from AR 4433 at 12:59 UTC, and additional minor solar flares. The data do not currently record an M2.6 flare at 15:14 UTC; reported flares were all in the C-class range.

In 24 hours to 12:30 UTC on May 7, solar activity remained at low levels, with occasional B-class and isolated low-level C-class flares. The largest event was a minor C1.4 flare peaking at 17:24 UTC on May 5.

Solar activity is expected to remain low on May 7, with a slight chance of isolated M-class (R1 – Minor or R2 – Moderate) flares. The probability for M-class and a slight chance for X-class (R3 – Strong) flares increases for May 8-9 as new active regions rotate into view.

Active sunspot regions presently observed on the Earth-facing solar disk include AR 4425 (N05W88 – Alpha), AR 4428 (S23W92 – Beta), AR 4429 (S05W47 – Beta), AR 4431 (S16W15 – Beta), AR 4432 (N13W01 – Beta), AR 4433 (S16E30 – Beta), and AR 4435 (N23E38 – Alpha).

Over the past 24 hours, the greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit was at low to moderate levels, with a peak value of 407 pfu. The greater than 10 MeV proton flux remained at background levels. These conditions are expected to continue through May 8. An increase to high electron flux levels is forecast by May 9, in response to a positive polarity coronal hole high-speed stream, while the proton flux should remain at background levels through May 9.

Solar wind parameters returned to near-background levels as transient CME influences waned. The total magnetic field decreased to around 5 nT, with solar wind speeds averaging near 375 km/s. North-South magnetic field was mainly northward through the period. Solar wind is expected to remain slow early on May 7, with a coronal hole high-speed stream onset expected by mid-to-late May 7 and persisting through May 8, before subsiding May 9.

The geomagnetic field was quiet throughout the reporting period. Mostly quiet conditions are forecast to persist until mid-to-late May 7, when active levels are anticipated due to the onset of coronal hole high-speed stream influences. Periods of G1 – Minor to G2 – Moderate geomagnetic storming will be possible from late May 7 through May 8, with a decline to quiet to unsettled levels by May 9 as high-speed stream effects wane.