Spotless Sun is Not a Fluke: A Solar Slowdown Once in a Century or Less

Solar physicists are finally beginning to admit that something unusual is happening with the master of the daytime sky.

...we are returning to the quiet solar conditions we have observed about every 100 years, and cycle 24 will probably be lower than 23, just as 14 was lower than 13, although we don’t know why there should be such a ~100 year cycle. _LeifSvaalgard

Svaalgard, David Hathaway, and other NASA solar physicists have not been very helpful in teasing out what the sun is trying to do in its current "between cycles" state of paralysis. They are baffled, but continue trying to put a knowing, expert face on the situation. Fortunately, meteorologist Anthony Watts has devoted a significant amount of time to analysing this curious ongoing situation with our sun. In his latest post on the topic, Watts looks at various metrics of solar activity and becomes further convinced that something quite unusual is going on.

...it appears we continue to slide into a deeper than normal solar minima, one not seen in decades. Given the signs, I think we are about to embark upon a grand experiment, over which we have no control. __WattsUpWithThat

Go to the link and look over the graphics, read the commentary. Something unusual is happening to the sun at the same time that colder than normal weather is impacting large parts of the Southern Hemisphere yet again this year, while curious winter-like weather continues to impact parts of the Northern Hemisphere quite close to the summer solstice.

Most of the world's resources devoted to climate are focused upon greenhouse gases and warming events. How ironic that nature, and the real climate, appears to be pointing toward more cooling, and suggesting as loudly as it can that the sun may be involved.