‰ Now 18 WPM transition file follows ‰ Average daily sunspot numbers decreased from 138.7 to 129 on March 13 to 19, compared to the previous seven days. Average daily solar flux went from 149.7 to 141.4. The latest 45 day forecast shows solar flux at 150 on March 21 and 22, 145 on March 23, 140 on March 24 to 26, then 135, 145 and 160 on March 27 to 29, 165 on March 30 and 31, 160 on April 1 and 2, 155 on April 3, 150 on April 4 to 7, 145 on April 8 and 9, 140 on April 10 and 11, and 135 on April 12 to 16. This 135 represents a low for the short term, then the forecast shows a rise to 165 on April 26 and 27. Predicted planetary A index is 5 on March 21 and 22, 8 on March 23 and 24, 5 on March 25 to 29, 8 on March 30 through April 1, 5 on April 2 to 8, 10 on April 9, 5 on April 10 to 12, 8 on April 13 and 14, 5 on April 15 to 25, and 8 on April 26 to 28, followed by 5 during the foreseeable future. Predicted values out that far are likely to change over the next 30 days. The entire 45 day flux forecast took a big jump on March 17. On March 16 the average solar flux for April was predicted to be 122.3. On March 17 and every day since the average solar flux for April is predicted to be 149.8, an increase of over 22 percent. Check the recent history of these changes along with daily updates at //www.swpc.noaa.gov/ftpmenu/forecasts/45DF.html . You will find new daily updates usually between 2100 to 2300 UTC. I noticed something odd with the geomagnetic data reported every three hours at //www.swpc.noaa.gov/ftpdir/latest/DGD.txt . When I checked this link at 0831 UTC on March 20, the mid latitude A index for March 15 to 19 was 26, 11, 5, 10 and 11. But when I checked the same link 24 hours later, the same values were 3, 1, 2, 5, and 2. What caught my attention on March 20 was the March 15 mid latitude A index of 26, while the same date showed a planetary A index of 4, and college A index, in Alaska, at 2. This seemed odd, because during periods of moderate or high geomagnetic activity, the mid latitude value measured in Virginia is the lowest, followed by the planetary A index at a higher value, and the college A index as the highest. This is because the college A index is measured near Fairbanks, Alaska, where the polar region sees a concentration of geomagnetic unrest during any disturbance. The planetary A index is calculated using data from observatories at Sitka, Alaska, location of 57.0576 degrees north latitude, Meanook, Alberta, Canada, location of at 54.616 degrees north latitude, Ottawa, Canada, Fredericksburg, Virginia, Hartland, UK, Wingst, Germany, Niemegk, Germany, and Canberra, Australia. Note that the mid latitude Fredericksburg data is also a component of the planetary index. The daily geomagnetic A index for each day is calculated from the K index, measured every three hours. See //www.swpc.noaa.gov/ for more info on the planetary values. This weeks geomagnetic forecast from OK1HH, who has been distributing these predictions since 1978. The geomagnetic field will be quiet to unsettled on March 21, quiet to active on March 22, quiet to unsettled March 23, quiet March 24, quiet to active March 25, quiet to unsettled March 26 and 27, mostly quiet March 28, quiet March 29, mostly quiet March 30, quiet to active March 31, mostly quiet April 1, quiet for a whole week on April 2 to 8, mostly quite April 9, active to disturbed April 10, quiet to unsettled April 11, quiet April 12, mostly quiet April 13, quiet to active April 14, and quiet again on April 15 and 16. Sunspot numbers were 130, 121, 141, 139, 110, 125, and 137, with a mean of 129. 10.7 cm flux was 147.7, 143.8, 139, 135.6, 136.4, 138.3, and 149.2, with a mean of 141.4. Estimated planetary A indices were 13, 5, 4, 3, 3, 6, and 5, with a mean of 5.6. Estimated mid latitude A indices were 7, 5, 3, 1, 2, 5, and 2, with a mean of 3.6. ‰ End of 18 WPM transition file ‰