Topband: Our Sun, Planet Earth, Saturn and 160M Band

[Chester Latawiec]

Been following the laments of poor 160M propagation this season with interest, as I erected a 4-square listening antenna determined to finally get DXCC on 160 this year.  I'm at 86 and counting. Getting close but also am noticing some mornings that there is just no propagation outside of NA.
The other day, December 28, 2010 to be exact, I read an interesting article on Spaceweather.com wrt a major electrical storm on the planet Saturn (something that has not been observed for decades)!  In the papers recently we're hearing about major flooding in Australia.  On this reflector we're reporting poor 160M propagation this season.  Scientists are now also predicting that this solar cycle is going to be less than spectacular - probably half as many sunspots as last cycle.
Is it an ill sun (probably more correct to state out of the ordinary) that's responsible for all these observations?  Just a mussing question.  Will things get worse before they get better?
Good DX73ChetVE3CFK