Simulating and predicting solar cycles using a flux-transport dynamo

We review how the so-called flux-transport solar dynamos work and show that such models calibrate well with solar cycle observations, and simulate well the relative peaks of the past 8 cycles. This success provides a basis for forecasting a strong solar cycle 24. We also show that a previous forecast of the timing of onset of cycle 24 is being verified by recent sunspot area statistics and coronal structures.