Either you didn't read the article, or you don't understand it.
You are correct on both, but after reading the article I stand by my statement. No man understands how the Sun works. Some delude themselves that they do.
1. All sunspot cycles are not the same length. How long is a sunspot cycle (11 years? 14 years?)? It is however long it takes.
2. There are more components to sunspot data than the number of sunspots or the geomagnetic activity.
3. Weather patterns are determined by sunspot activity and somewhat by volcanic activity (which may be related to sunspot and planetary events.
Accurate data past sunspot numbers are a fairly resent thing. So when using geomagnetic activity to predict the future we are using a fairly short period of time to draw conclusions from.
I am not a physicist, climatologist or earth scientist. But I do have a clear understanding of RF and electromagnetic waves. I have been a Ham for over 35 years and hold both an Amateur Extra and a GROL. I am/was a builder, not an appliance operator.
I have many friends in Las Cruces where the meeting took place. I have great respect for many who work in the Labs in NM.
I don't know anything about SwRI. I do know that a lot of "Science" today is more about funding than about honesty in results. That knowledge was shaped by friend who worked in research groups during my 14 years in NM. And by the fact that my father-in-law was connected to that research by his 40 years in the weapons industry.
In my opinion we are at the bottom of the current sunspot cycle and beginning to come out of the minimum. I draw that conclusion from the number of solar flares and by the weather patterns where I live. It was 106 degrees here 2 days ago. We are in the worst drought in this part of Texas in over 100 years. The last time we had similar local weather conditions here was back in 1895.