From the http://solarscience.msfc.nasa.gov/SunspotCycle.shtml website dated March 1st 2011:
"Current prediction for the next sunspot cycle maximum gives a smoothed sunspot number maximum of about 58 in July of 2013. We are currently over two years into Cycle 24. The predicted size would make this the smallest sunspot cycle in nearly 200 years."
Gloomy reading? Very recent solar levels in the last week or so may be just a blip, but something tells me we could all be in for a very big, and pleasant, surprise should activity continue to build as rapidly as it has recently. The sun is still full of surprises and no-one predicted the 2 year quiet sun we just had at the end of cycle 23.
I still find http://www.solen.info/solar/ the best page for up to date information on current solar activity.
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