How long is the solar cycle?

The solar cycle is the periodic change in the number of sunspots. (Sunspots are a big factor in The Old Farmer’s Almanac annual weather forecasts.) The cycle is the interval between successive minima (periods of low sunspot activity) and is about 11.1 years. During the cycle, solar flares, sunspots, and other magnetic phenomena move from intense activity to relative calm and back again.