A Secret Island in a Dark Hole Brings a Big Storm & More | Space Weather Spotlight 16 September 2025

This Space Weather News forecast sponsored in part by Millersville University:
https://www.millersville.edu/swen
This week our Sun kicks things into high gear starting with a surprisingly strong period of storming from some fast solar wind. The magic ingredient was a magnetic island growing inside the coronal hole generating the wind, which led to huge aurora shows deep into mid-latitudes at Earth. Although the fast wind is still ongoing, the peak of the storm has passed and we should return to calm conditions on Earth's nightside in the next day or so. That being said, new regions are growing fast on the Sun's east limb and that means big flares and radio blackouts are expected to return later in the week on earth's dayside. Noise on the dayside radio bands will also start increasing over the next few days so amateur radio operators and GPS users should stay vigilant for more signal degradation and reception issues. Learn the details of what caused the strong G3-level storming, catch aurora highlights from recent storms, and find out how the new east limb activity will affect you.
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For a more in-depth look at the data and images in this forecast, see my other videos. I need to save for credits and links to aurora field reporter photos highlighted this week.

Aurora Photography Highlights:

Normunds Lamberts, Tukums, Latvia:
https://x.com/Norrmis/status/1962961496297636070
Fredrik Larsson, Umeå, Sweden:
https://www.facebook.com/f.larsson
Gerry Doherty, Loch Lomond, West Scotland:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/457652560955639/user/100000498210151
Cat Perkinton, Lossiemouth, Scotland:
https://x.com/catperkinton/status/1962964389956337718
Leah Burgess, Waterford Coast, Ireland:
https://x.com/ThisIsIreland3/status/1962913882432766432
Julie Winn, Northeast England:
https://www.facebook.com/juilewinn
Paul Appleby, Whitley Bay, Tyneside, England:
https://x.com/SimonOKing/status/1962752102070923353
Mikhaël Vervoort, Denmark:
https://x.com/HaelVoort/status/1962659169481207988
Airick, Gannat, France:
https://x.com/AiRicK63/status/1962852868790104326
Matt Melnyk, flight from Ontario to London:
https://x.com/melnyk_photos/status/1962876080802460100
Jason O'Young, north of Toronto, Ontario, Canada:
https://x.com/jasonoyoung/status/1962707484663009346
Jamie, Grand Bend, Ontario, Canada: (movie)
https://x.com/PhotoChaserJ/status/1962717035156164713
Starry Sky Live, Millinocket Lake, Maine, USA:
https://x.com/PettusWX/status/1962723280067940425
Rob Wright, Alton, New Hampshire, USA:
https://x.com/RobWrightImages/status/1967478351142260798
Will McWeather, Barker, New York, USA:
https://x.com/Billy_Ch4os/status/1967436526008328449
Isaac, Eagle Harbor, Michigan, USA: https://x.com/ID_photo_graphy/status/1967479897707983094
Corinne, Northern Wisconsin, USA:
https://x.com/AuroraNorthWI/status/1967468873281863732
Andrew Towne, Casper, Wyoming, USA:
https://x.com/Andrew__Towne/status/1967443025535402199
Kevin Palmer, Lake DeSmet, Wyoming, USA:
https://x.com/krp234/status/1967628092803027424
Jerry Doremus, Chimney Rock, Nebraska, USA:
https://x.com/Jerry_Doremus/status/1967465755089531126
Drew, Buffalo, Oklahoma, USA:
https://x.com/Wx_Beans/status/1967413481898176852
Blake Brown, northwestern, Texas, USA:
https://x.com/BlakeBrownWx/status/1967451259646210409
Marie Parr, Melbourne, Australia:
https://x.com/marieparr/status/1964453459450839316
Johnny Kim, ISS, LEO :
https://x.com/JonnyKimUSA/status/1966554937187246478
Taichi Nakamura, Lake Pukaki, New Zealand:
https://spaceweathergallery2.com/indiv_upload.php?upload_id=225600
Jules Witek, Saltwater River, Tasmania:
https://x.com/ChynoNews/status/1963061589281800581