Six SCARY sunspots glaring at the Earth today; NOAA gives solar storm warning

tech.hindustantimes.com:

The Earth got lucky once again as it narrowly missed the incoming coronal mass ejection (CME) cloud and escaped what could have been a terrifying solar storm event. This is the third time in two months that the Earth has barely escaped being sideswiped by a CME wave. But how long can this luck actually last? That is what astronomers are wondering as six giant sunspots are facing the Earth. With such a high number of active regions on the Sun, it seems inevitable that one of them will blast a CME that can cause a solar storm of terrifying intensity. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has given its prediction, so let us take a look at that.

As per a SpaceWeather.com report, “With every visible sunspot in decay, NOAA forecasters have lowered the chances of solar flares today to 15% for M-class flares and only 1% for X-flares”. While this does indicate a lowered risk for a solar storm, it is not down to zero. The possibility of solar flare eruption also can cause some complications for the Earth.

It is a big coincidence that every single sunspot on the Earth-facing side of the Sun is currently decaying. However, it means that the Earth may see some more quiet days this week. But while that is all good, it should also not be forgotten that there is a 15 percent chance of an M-class solar flare eruption.

While it may seem like a small percentage, in reality, it is still concerning as our current technology restricts our ability to accurately predict solar storms and solar flare eruptions. What that means is our predictions are majorly based on historical data and patterns, and there is no empirical evidence for their certainty. And that is why both NOAA and NASA satellites are constantly monitoring the Sun