Space Weather
Space Weather Card Explained
The Space Weather card summarizes current geomagnetic disturbance at Earth and separate solar flare/radio-blackout potential.
Quick read
- Useful for
- Severe space weather can affect HF radio, GNSS/GPS accuracy, satellites, aviation routes, and grid operations.
- Watch
- main rating, Kp, flare risk, thresholds, active Sun snapshot, source label, and updated timing.
- Confirm with
- NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center
- Remember
- Kp is global and coarse. Flare risk is separate from geomagnetic storm intensity.
How to read this card
- Main rating: Calm, Minor, Moderate, Severe, or Extreme based on current Kp thresholds.
- Kp: current planetary geomagnetic index shown as a number; higher means more geomagnetic disturbance.
- Flare risk: separate solar flare/radio-blackout potential, normalized to None/Minor/Moderate/Strong/Severe/Extreme when possible.
- Solar imagery: optional active Sun snapshot if an image URL is present and loads.
Hover card metrics explained
- Current thresholds: Minor ≥ 5.0 Kp, Moderate ≥ 6.0, Severe ≥ 7.0, Extreme ≥ 8.0 in the dashboard display logic.
- Main rating text: explains likely operational impact for the bucket.
- Flare risk explanation: describes flare-related impact potential separately from geomagnetic storming.
- Active Sun snapshot: image label, source label, and caption when available.
- NOAA SWPC source: source family for Kp, flare, and space-weather alerts.
What can make this status change?
- Kp rises or falls as geomagnetic conditions change.
- NOAA SWPC alert/warning context changes.
- Solar flare probability or observed flare class changes.
- Solar imagery becomes unavailable or a new snapshot is fetched.
Limitations
Kp is a global index, not a local impact forecast. Local effects depend on latitude, ground conductivity, system design, and operator mitigation. Solar images are context only.
Sources and update behavior
Space-weather readings come from NOAA SWPC-style public data and cached dashboard snapshots. Some observations update frequently; forecasts and images have their own source cadence.
Visual reference
Space weather card signal map
Read the signal as one layer in a larger source stack, not as a standalone instruction.
Official/public sources
Use these links to verify current source text, update timing, and agency caveats.
FAQ
Is flare risk the same as a geomagnetic storm?
No. The hover card says flare risk is separate solar-flare hazard potential and not a direct statement of current geomagnetic storm intensity at Earth.