Yea, I do not agree that solar isn't a player.
While your analysis of the HC is likely a primary driver this season, even a curosry glance at the data implies a definitive negative correlation between the solar cycle and ACE output.
Perfect illustration of why CC doesn't automatically mean a 300 ACE every season....not to mention shear from an active Pacific. The globe finds a way to ensure that everything has a check and a balance.
Of course, Bluewave's state of the art optimism alert system promptly made him aware and he arrives on the scene in short order to fill the collective cheerios with urine.
Looks like the CFS and CANSIPS.
I included 1970 in my preliminary polar analog composite, as it was a high solar La Nina. Don't love the +PDO look of some of those years, though.
This is something I have come around on...I was skeptical of it a couple of years ago. However, I still don't think well placed blocking is as futile as it has appeared the past few years, as there also has been some shit luck involved.
Bias comes in a multitude of different varieties for a plethora of various reasons...we need to be just every bit as mindful of not allowing a recency bias to team with growing frustration to compomise objectivity as we do our innate desires and preferences.