The dynamic activity of the Sun—sustained by a magnetohydrodynamic dynamo mechanism working in its interior—modulates the electromagnetic, particulate, and radiative environment in space. While solar activity variations on short timescale create space weather, slow long-term modulation forms the basis of space climate. Space weather impacts diverse space-reliant technologies while space climate influences planetary atmospheres and climate. Having prior knowledge of the Sun’s activity is important in these contexts. However, forecasting solar-stellar magnetic activity has remained an outstanding challenge. In this review, predictions for Sunspot Cycle 24 and the upcoming Solar Cycle 25 are summarized, and critically assessed. The analysis demonstrates that while predictions based on diverse techniques disagree across Solar Cycles 24–25, physics-based predictions for Solar Cycle 25 have converged and indicates a weak to moderate–weak sunspot cycle. I argue that this convergence in physics-based predictions is indicative of progress in the fundamental understanding of solar cycle predictability. Based on this understanding, resolutions to several outstanding questions related to solar cycle predictions are discussed; these questions include: is it possible to predict the solar cycle, what is the best proxy for predictions, how early can we predict the solar cycle and how many cycles into the future can we predict relying on our current understanding? Based on our analysis, we also suggest a rigorous pathway towards generating and disseminating a “consensus forecast” by any solar cycle prediction panels tasked with such a challenge.

太阳的动态活动（通过其内部的磁流体动力学发电机机制得以维持）调节了空间中的电磁，微粒和辐射环境。太阳活动在短时间内的变化会产生太空天气，而缓慢的长期调制则是太空气候的基础。太空天气影响各种依赖太空的技术，而太空气候影响行星大气和气候。在这些情况下，事先了解太阳的活动很重要。但是，预测太阳星的磁活动仍然是一项艰巨的挑战。在这篇评论中，总结了太阳黑子周期24和即将到来的太阳周期25的预测，并对其进行了严格的评估。分析表明，尽管基于不同技术的预测在太阳周期24–25期间存在分歧，基于物理的对太阳周期25的预测已经收敛，并指示了从弱到中度弱的黑子周期。我认为基于物理学的预测的这种趋同表明对太阳周期可预测性的基本理解有所进步。基于这种理解，讨论了与太阳周期预测有关的几个悬而未决的问题的解决方案。这些问题包括：是否可以预测太阳周期，什么是最好的预测代理，我们可以在多久之前预测太阳周期，以及根据当前的理解可以预测到未来有多少个周期？根据我们的分析，我们还建议采取任何严峻的挑战，通过严格的途径来生成和传播“共识预测”。