As if we needed it on top of everything else, the active region responsible for the largest flare in Cycle 22 just produced the second largest (X8.2) around 1600 UTC, peaking at 1606. HF has been dead here ever since.
KPH, also in California, also reports no WWV on any frequency. This is obviously a major HF blackout.
The flare did produce a CME, but since the region was about to go off the west limb, most of it should miss Earth.
