Those who have knowledge, don't predict. Those who predict, don't have knowledge. I have seen the future and it is very much like the present, only longer. This nugget of pseudo-philosophy is actually a concise description of statistical forecasting. We then predict that those properties will continue to look the same in the future as they do today.
Prediction is very difficult, especially if it's about the future.
The best qualification of a prophet is to have a good memory. Some things are so unexpected that no one is prepared for them. This is particularly relevent to non-stationary processes such as the the climate and the business world. For example, the appearance of the Antarctic ozone hole in the mid 1970s was quite a surprise. Andrew Lang Careful application of statistics is essential for obtaining and judging predictions and can provide much insight into the assesment of skill in the predictions.