Yes, activity has picked up a bit this week: "One spot, dubbed Active Region (AR) 1613, which can be seen in the lower left center of the sun, is of particular interest, because any flares originating from it would be earth directed. Forecasters from NOAA estimate there is a 40% chance of M-class solar flares and a 5% chance of X-class flares from the earth facing side of the sun at the moment. Any such flare originating from AR 1613 has the potential to spark a geomagnetic storm, which could result in aurora borealis or northern lights. "