GFZ Potsdam Kp record · 2007
Geomagnetic storms in 2007
Answer
Storm days by month
April was the stormiest month with 4 storm days. 3 of 12 months had none. March, April, September and October together account for 8 of the 19, the equinox months SWPC links with larger storms.
Storm levels against the median year
By level, the year counts 19 at G1, 0 at G2, 0 at G3, 0 at G4, 0 at G5. The highest 3-hour value was Kp 6-, G1 Minor on NOAA's scale. The average day peaked at Kp 2.56, against 3.36 in the median year.
| Level | Kp | 2007 | Median year |
|---|---|---|---|
| G1 Minor | 5 | 19 | 51.5 |
| G2 Moderate | 6 | 0 | 20 |
| G3 Strong | 7 | 0 | 6.5 |
| G4 Severe | 8 | 0 | 2 |
| G5 Extreme | 9 | 0 | 0 |
How far the oval reached
At the year's peak, Kp 6-, SWPC's rule of thumb puts the average oval edge at 54.7 degrees geomagnetic. 887 of Glow's 1218 towns sit at or poleward of that line, including 328 in United Kingdom, 111 in Canada, 97 in Sweden.
| Date (UTC) | Highest Kp |
|---|---|
| February 13, 2007 | 6- |
| May 24, 2007 | 6- |
| August 6, 2007 | 6- |
| January 29, 2007 | 5+ |
| May 23, 2007 | 5+ |
G4 storm events
No 3-hour Kp reached 8, so the year has no G4 storm event. For context, 2006 had 28 storm days and 2008 had 11 storm days.
Questions
- How many geomagnetic storm days were there in 2007?
- 19 UTC days reached Kp 5 (G1) or more in the GFZ record. 0 reached Kp 8 (G4).
- What was the strongest geomagnetic storm of 2007?
- The highest 3-hour Kp was 6-, first reached on February 13, 2007.
- How far south could aurora reach in 2007?
- At Kp 6- SWPC's rule puts the average oval edge near 54.7 degrees geomagnetic. Viewing reaches farther, since aurora can be seen from as far as about 1,000 km away.
- Does Glow count 5- as a storm?
- No. A level counts from the whole Kp value, so 5- (4.67) is below G1 and 8- is below G4. Other sites may round differently.
Sources and verification
- GFZ Potsdam, Kp index datahttps://kp.gfz.de/en/data
- Matzka et al. 2021, Geomagnetic Kp index, GFZ Data Serviceshttps://doi.org/10.5880/Kp.0001
- NOAA SWPC, Tips on viewing the aurorahttps://www.spaceweather.gov/content/tips-viewing-aurora
- NOAA Space Weather Scaleshttps://www.spaceweather.gov/noaa-scales-explanation
Quoted figures last checked against their sources on 2026-09-30; next review 2026-12-31. Computed figures come from SunCalc and the IGRF-14 dipole as described in the methodology. Every quote is listed in the sources ledger.