by Martin Armstrong, Armstrong Economics:

An enormous dark hole has opened up in the surface of the sun, emitting streams of unusually fast radiation, known as solar wind, right at Earth. The size of the temporary gap is wider than 60 Earths and extraordinary at this stage of the solar cycle. This phenomenon, known as a coronal hole, took shape near the sun’s equator on December 2 and reached its maximum width of around 497,000 miles (800,000 kilometers) within 24 hours. Since December 4, the solar void has been pointing directly at Earth. Experts initially predicted this most recent hole could spark a moderate geomagnetic storm that could trigger radio blackouts and strong auroral displays. Solar winds have been less intense than expected, so the resulting storm has only weakened.