Other Answers (10)

• Solar flare activity certainly seems to play some part in global weather patterns as can be seen in tree ring growth.
  
  We experience the peak in solar flare activity on an 11 year cycle, and because the tree rings indicate an 11 year cycle in growth patterns, it would appear that there is an influence on global weather patterns.
  
  However due to our somewhat elliptical orbit around the Sun, I suspect that the occurrence of sunspot activity will have much more effect at times than others.
  
  This could help to explain the 88 year cycle which some scientists have seemed to discovered.
  
  As far as global warming is concerned however, the chances are much greater that a major volcanic eruption would quickly put us back to much colder conditions than the mild conditions we currently are lucky enough to enjoy.
• In any thermodynamic system the heat source almost always plays the most vital roll. Add another layer of insulation to your house will have a tiny effect, compaired to the energy of more gas. Some people forget the sun is the driver, and greenhouse gasses are the passenger.
  
  NOTE: until the mid 1970%26#039;s the sun, sun spots charts well with the temperature change, from that point not as well. Have the global warming folks ever modeled the system to 1970 using the data it could be 95% the sun, then included there positive feedbacks from that temperature change?
• Not much. Sunspots and flares are cyclic, but the effect is more on space-based electronics and some of our radio signals. After accounting for increases in solar radiation, if still appears human activity is a major cause of global warming. See IPCC working group 1 report. Stephen M: Done long ago. It%26#039;s human activity. Read IPCC WG1 Report.
• Solar flares are are a common occurrence. The frequency of the flares have a cycle (i stand corrected) of about 13 years. This has very little effect on the earths temperature. The oceans make sure we stay at a constant. Any harmfull effects of these flares are rebuffed by our atmosphere. It is us humans who are dangerous to our environment.
• Shhhhhhh !!!
  
  You%26#039;re not supposed to EVER go against what the global warming nazis are spewing. If you%26#039;re not careful, of the the foam-at-the-mouth screaming pants-pissing global warming nazis will shout you down and kill you for having the gall to say that nature might cause global warming !!
• Massive amounts of Energy striking the atmosphere?
  
  This energy has to go somewhere, and the Sun is the source for all warming on Earth.
• Best I can offer; very little is understood about their frequency and magnitude. But they do have a large impact on climatic conditions.