[Yo-Yo]

Sunspot activity has consistantly been far below predicted numbers for the entire current solar cycle.

[PapaBear3625]

We will know in about another 6 months. Either the cycle will trend up into a second peak, or it will continue to trend down.

If it trends down, then we will be in a Dalton-type minimum. In that case, expect colder weather, crop failures, higher food prices, and famine.

[infool7]

Not only in numbers but in overall strength as well. Apparently -50 Gauss per year

[SuziQ]

Sunspot activity has consistently been far below predicted numbers for the entire current solar cycle.

For several years, NASA had to keep revising it's prediction for when there would be a rise in the number of sunspots, because the sun wouldn't cooperate. Even in 2011, the supposed 'busy' year during this cycle, there were on average, about 60 sunspots a month which, compared to previous maximum cycles, when it was well over 100 a month, is pretty low.

The sun decided to throw a monkey wrench in the plans of the Global Warming folks. This 'minimum' came at just the right time to make folks who had almost been convinced by the GW folks to start questioning them, even when they changed their tune, and started calling it "Climate Change". ;o)