An impulsive, major solar flare reaching X2.7 erupted at 22:05 UTC (5:05 p.m. CDT) and ended at 22:15 UTC, peaking at 22:11 UTC. This is the most intense flare so far, in year 2015. It is not the most powerful in this current sunspot cycle. [video=youtube;VQUFRrlqJLk]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQUFRrlqJLk[/video] https://youtu.be/VQUFRrlqJLk This X2.7-level flare produced a level R3 (Strong) shortwave radio blackout on the sunlit side of Earth, which was over the Pacific region. A coronal mass ejection was associated with this flare. The flare originated in Sunspot Active Region NOAA 2339. In addition, the flare produced a two-minute radio burst, heard as a roar of static from shortwave receivers on Pacific isles and western parts of North America. A radio burst of this kind is generally short-lived, but can cause interference for radar, GPS, and satellite communications.
