Solar maximum approaches: Strongest solar flare since 2017

The peak of the Sun’s latest Solar Cycle is expected later this year, and a string of solar flares has highlighted the already rising intensity.

On February 22, three solar flares were recorded by the NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Centre within 24 hours, with the third and final flare the strongest since 2017. This was an X6.3 flare, X-class flares denoting the most intense possible.

This emanated from a group of sunspots which has rotated across the solar disc into view from Earth. Increasing numbers of sunspots are common when the peak of a Solar Cycle is imminent.

Solar flares can disrupt communication systems on Earth, such as radio waves and sat-nav devices though no interruption was seen this weekend.

The peak of this Solar Cycle was initially expected in 2025, though last October the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration revised this to occur between January and October 2024.

Each cycle is an 11-year period of activity on the Sun, as it reaches its peak activity such as solar flares grow more frequent.

These flares can hurl coronal mass ejections (CMEs) towards Earth, when the particles within a CME reaches the atmosphere it reacts to create auroras.

For anyone who has ever dreamed of seeing the Northern Lights, your chance to do so will rise significantly once the solar cycle maximum arrives.

Learn a little more about exactly what is involved with the creation of an aurora with our Weather Explained video: