kar999

Sounds like an idyllic spot there Frogesque. I’m quite lucky where I live in so far as I don’t get too much light pollution although I do get some from Telford and Wolverhampton to the North West and North East. Last night the Milky Way was clearly visible as a white swathe across the sky. I’m looking forward to returning to Liddesdale in the Borders in a few weeks time. The sky there is totally free from light pollution and the Milky Way is so spectacular. Unfortunately when I’ve been there in the past it has not coincided with the Aurora but I live in hope. I was however lucky enough to have a splendid view of comet Neat on a previous visit.

Same here and there was quite a bit of cloud. There were sightings reported in Germany (N54 latititude) and Northern Ireland but they were only faint glows at low elevations. As so often with Aurora, it peaked too soon for us.

Things have died down quite a bit since this morning with a G1 geomagnetic storm still ongoing.KP has fallen to 5. There might still be some chance of some visible activity between dusk and the early hours. The further North you are the better. Check out the Scotish webcams like the Eskdalemuir one on the met office site as well. There was a superb showing on there last winter.

We might be in luck Dazmaster but dusk is a fair way off yet. Just need that geomagnetic storm to keep going. It's just stopped raining here so I'm hoping for clear skies. EDIT: From Spaceweather.com AURORA ALERT: A coronal mass ejection (CME) hit Earth's magnetic field this morning, setting off a strong geomagnetic storm- In progress. Another CME is heading for Earth and it could intensify the ongoing storm when it strikes. EDIT at 16:47 Things off the boil slightly now. Storm downgraded to G4 (severe) and KP down to 8. That's still good enough for middle latitude sightings so still worth a look if it holds out till dusk and beyond. CME number 2 may also impact.

Geomagnetic storm now upgraded to G5 - Extreme and KP index = 9. Cloudy, wet and daytime here!

Issued 10am from spacew.com MIDDLE LATITUDE AURORAL ACTIVITY WARNING Issued: 09:00 UTC on 24 August 2005Solar Terrestrial Dispatch www.spacew.com VALID BEGINNING AT: EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY VALID UNTIL: 23:00 UTC (6 pm EST) ON 25 AUGUST HIGH RISK PERIOD: 24 AUGUST (UTC DAYS) MODERATE RISK PERIOD: 24-25 AUGUST PREDICTED ACTIVITY INDICES: 65, 30, 15, 12 (24 - 27 AUGUST) POTENTIAL MAGNITUDE OF MIDDLE LATITUDE AURORAL ACTIVITY: MODERATE TO HIGH POTENTIAL DURATION OF THIS ACTIVITY: MAIN BELT = 12 HOURS MINOR BELT = 12-24 HOURS ESTIMATED OPTIMUM OBSERVING CONDITIONS: NEAR OR PRIOR TO LOCAL MIDNIGHT EXPECTED LUNAR INTERFERENCE: MODERATE TO HIGH OVERALL OPPORTUNITY FOR OBSERVATIONS FROM MIDDLE LATITUDES: FAIR TO GOOD AURORAL ACTIVITY *AUGUST* BE OBSERVED APPROXIMATELY NORTH OF A LINE FROM... (THIS LINE IS VALID *ONLY* IF FAVORABLE STORM CONDITIONS OCCUR) OREGON TO SOUTHERN IDAHO AND NORTHERN UTAH TO WYOMING TO NEBRASKA TO NORTHERN MISSOURI TO SOUTHERN ILLINOIS TO KENTUCKY TO VIRGINIA. ACTIVITY *AUGUST* ALSO BE OBSERVED APPROXIMATELY NORTH OF A LINE FROM... (THIS LINE IS VALID *ONLY* IF FAVORABLE STORM CONDITIONS OCCUR) CENTRAL FRANCE TO NORTHERN SWITZERLAND TO SOUTHERN GERMANY TO THE CZECH REPUBLIC TO POLAND TO CENTRAL RUSSIA. NEW ZELAND AND SOUTHEASTERN AUSTRALIA SHOULD ALSO BE ABLE TO SPOT PERIODS OF ACTIVITY IF SUITABLE STORM CONDITIONS MATERIALIZE DURING DARKNESS. SYNOPSIS... The arrival of a coronal mass ejection from a recent major M5 solar flare has become much stronger than anticipated. Intense magnetic fields within the disturbance are currently being observed that have a favorable orientation for producing periods of strong auroral storm activity. Major to severe geomagnetic and auroral storming is expected to commence within the next several hours, particularly if current field orientations persist. Widespread mid-latitude observations of auroral activity may be observed, depsite the brightness of the moon. We do not expect the activity to persist into the evening hours of 24 August over North America. This warning will remain valid through 24:00 UTC (6 pm EDT) on 25 August. Note that this is 24 hours later than the previous watch that was released. It will be updated or allowed to expire at that time. For updated information, visit: http://www.spacew.com/aurora/forum.html. For real-time plots of current activity, visit: http://www.spacew.com/plots.html PLEASE REPORT VALID OBSERVATIONS OF AURORAL ACTIVITY TO: http://www.spacew.com/submitsighting.html ** End of Warning **

If the weather is good at your Latitude Shuggee then find somewhere with little or no light pollution to the North. The G3 geomagnetic storm currently underway may last until this evening if we are lucky. The indicators are real time and most update every 15minutes. Keep an eye on them particularly the UK one from Aurorawatch. EDIT: Red alert just received from Aurorawatch. It just needs to keep going for another 12 hours!!

It looks like its cloudy in Alaska as well. The Aurora Live EDIT: Amber alert text just received from Aurorawatch.

I spotted that too frogesque. Good timing for Alaska as it's the middle of the night there. Not much use to us unless it holds out till tonight... and the clouds clear!

Oh to be in Alaska.... ... and I bet it's still relatively mild there right now. (From spaceweather.com) "While checking the fish smoker around 2a.m. on August 10th, I was treated to the first display of the season," says Daryl Pederson of Girdwood, Alaska, who took the picture above. "In my twenty years of aurora photography this is the earliest I have been able to shoot them in southcentral Alaska." Superb stuff!!

"Storm cuts power in Stafford (Originally published: August 15, 1955) Electricity supply was cut off, women shoppers and other pedestrians were drenched, children were frightened and traffic was brought almost to a standstill in Saturday's thunderstorm in Stafford. But while people in the north of the town fought a losing battle to keep water from their doorsteps, people living in the south end did not get the dust laid in their gardens. Only the short duration of the tropical like downpour saved many homes from being flooded. Lightning struck a grid transformer at the rear of Stafford power station and power supplies were cut off to a large section of the town. Normal supplies were restored after nearly an hour. Women shoppers were drenched before they could reach shelter." -------- > Obviously the men didn't shop in those days and would have been safely in the pub! -------- > And this sounds like a dust devil. "Whirlwind 'visitor' to Chadsmoor (Originally published: August 16, 1955) A miniature whirlwind at West Chadsmore yesterday tore off the span roof of a garden shed, spun it through the air for 30 yards and deposited it on the roof of a bungalow, where a number of tiles were smashed. The shed is in the garden of the bungalow - home of Mrs Bertram Maiden, at Keats Avenue. She told an Express & Star reporter: "A terrific wind sprung up without warning, and it was all over in a matter of minutes. "I was listening to the wireless when I heard a bump, and was amazed when I found part of Bert's shed deposited near my back door," said a neighbour, Mr W Johnson." (All credits to http://www.midlandsmemories.com/onthisday/50yearsago.php)

Thanks KW. Coincidentally I found this news item published today. 2005 set to be historic year for hurricanes PARIS, (AFP) - 2005 is set to be one of the worst years on record for hurricanes, scientists say, amid spectacular new evidence about the power of these storms and fears that global warming is intensifying them. Less than halfway through the six-month tropical storm season, experts are already warning that the brooding western Atlantic may serve up as many as 21 severe storms and hurricanes this year. If so, that would be more than twice the average annual tally since records began in 1851. "The 2005 hurricane season could rival historically significant years such as 1887, which had 19 named storms; 1933, which had 21 named storms; and 1995, which had 19 named storms," says Barry Keim, assistant professor of geography and anthropology at Louisiana State University, and a climatologist for the state. Full Article : http://uk.news.yahoo.com/07082005/323/2005...hurricanes.html

Historic weather is very interesting. Those endless long dry sunny summer school holidays never really existed. You just think they did!

And from the same source for 1 August 50 years ago: Express & Star Driest July in Wolverhampton for 20 years Originally published: August 1, 1955 In Wolverhampton's driest July for 20 years, which ended yesterday, only a little over half an inch of rain was recorded. The month's 0.55in failed to lower the record of July 1937, when only 0.37in of rain fell. The dry warm spell, which has lasted since July 4, has been broken only once. There is a drought in Wolverhampton. It is now 15 days since a measurable amount of rain fell. A drought begins officially after 15 days without rain. July is frequently a wet month, as flower show arrangers have known to their cost. The wettest recorded day in Wolverhampton was in July 1927. On the day before the floral fete opened, 3.7in of rain fell and the ducks from the pool in the West Park were found swimming near the bandstand.

No prob Mondy. I think I refered to the storm as last year not autumn 2003. It's old age kicking in for both of us!

Mondy in answer to this question: http://www.net-weather.co.uk/forum/index.p...ndpost&p=400082 Here's something I found to confirm my answer: A fleet of spacecraft dispersed throughout the solar system gave the best picture to date of the effects of blast waves from solar storms as they propagate through the solar system. The "Halloween" solar storms in October-November 2003 were the most powerful ever measured. The storms' effects on Earth were severe enough to cause the rerouting of aircraft, affect satellite operations, and precipitate a power failure in Malmoe, Sweden. Long-distance radio communications were disrupted because of the effects on the ionosphere, and northern lights (aurora borealis) were seen as far south as Florida. No NASA satellites near Earth were severely damaged by the storms. The International Space Station astronauts curtailed some of their activities and took shelter in the Russian-supplied Service Module several times during the storm.

Why do you say that Summer Blizzard? Winter is the best time to visually to see Aurora because there is little or no twilight.

It happens every year. Swarms and swarms of flying ants are on the wing. Started here just a few minutes ago. It must be some combination of temperature, humidity, breeding cycle or whatever. Someone will no doubt explain. Incidently its warm and muggy here with weak sunshine and no real breeze to speak of. I hope I've got plenty of water in my windscreen washer for the journey home.

Updated: 10:15UTC 01 August (6:15 am EDT, 01 August) (spacew) Geomagnetic and Auroral Activity Update A coronal mass ejection (from the recent X1.3 major flare) has arrived, but is not expected to be particularly geoeffective. As a result, only modest enhancements in geomagnetic and high-latitude auroral activity is anticipated. Additional potentially stronger CME's are possible during the next week. Solar Activity Update Region 792 remains capable of producing isolated major solar flares (including possible X-class events). Any energetic events from this region will now likely involve an Earthward-directed coronal mass ejection.

I got that too Mrs M. Currently mild G1 geomagnetic storm in progress.

Colleague at work hearing reports of mini tornado in Mosely Village Birmingham very recently. Possible structural damage with road closures in place. Cant confirm this but his son is in the area and just phoned this through

Raining all day Currently 16c 1005 mb Torrential downpour for 10 minutes half-hour ago. Further heavy rain on its way, extremely dark clouds to South

Let's hope its got some life left in it when it comes around and faces us Mondy. Here's a nice animation of the prominences it's been churning out. (credit : Spaceweather.com Pavol Rapavy of Rimavska Sobota, Slovakia)