Bishop Observatory
Clear Sky Chart
History

This sumarizes the distribution of each different forecast outcome for the Bishop Observatory clear sky chart from 2005-11-06 to 2024-10-20.

This page is a summary of past forecasts. Even though it's based only on forecasts, some people use these pages as clue to a site's climate. But climate data based on actual observation should be preferred (if you can find it!).

Cloud, Transparency and Seeing forecasts are summarized individually. But because good observing conditions require a combination of minimum cloud cover, transparency and seeing, the individual forecast summaries can be difficult to interpret. The observing conditions section counts the combinations of conditions needed for common types of astronomical observation.

Observing Conditions

The following tables count the occurrence of the combinations of forecast and darkness conditions needed for different observations. Conditions are rated by by what percentage of the hours the observation would likely be attempted are usable.

Observation Type	Minimum conditions for hour to be usable				Out of hours
	Clear of Clouds	Transparency	Seeing	Sky Brightness
Planetary:	50%	(no limit)	Average	(no limit)	Nighttime Hours
Deep Sky:	70%	Average	(no limit)	5.9	Nighttime Hours
CCD Imaging:	70%	Below Average	Poor	(no limit)	Nighttime Hours

Percentages are of nighttime hours per month, or per year, when a particular observing conditions was met. Deep Sky percentages never exceed 50% because the moon is up half the time. Deep sky percentages are much lower for charts at high latitudes because of fewer dark hours in the summer.

Overall

By Month

Individual Forecasts

The length of each colored bar in the "occurrence of each Forecast" column is proportional to the number of times the chart forecast that color. The percentages are of the total number of hours per month, or per year, with a particular forecast. The colors as the same as those used in clear sky charts.

Note: Transparency probabilities are only counted for those hours that have 30% or less cloud cover. Seeing probabilities are only counted for those hours that have 80% or less cloud cover. If that's too tricky, try Observing Conditions instead.

Overall

		Occurrence of each Forecast	Data Points
Cloud Cover	Day	12% 7% 2 6% 5% 5% 5% 4 6% 8% 41%	100756
	Night	13% 7% 2 6% 4 4 4 4 6% 7% 43%	97895
Transparency	Day	40% 7% 11% 20% 18% 4	100565
	Night	38% 6% 11% 20% 19% 5%	97755
Seeing	Day	16% 10% 23% 24% 17% 9%	14690
	Night	15% 9% 23% 29% 20% 3	24674

By Month

Percentage Cloud Cover SE (2006-)
Color Meanings: Overcast 90% covered 80% covered 70% covered 60% covered 50% covered 40% covered 30% covered 20% covered 10% covered Clear
Month	Days in Month		Occurrence of each Forecast	Data Points
January	1st to 10th	Day	16% 12% 3 6% 4 4 5% 4 5% 5% 36%	2836
	11th to 20th	Day	15% 8% 3 7% 4 3 3 2 3 3 47%	2840
	21st to end	Day	23% 11% 3 5% 3 3 4 2 4 5% 38%	3352
February	1st to 10th	Day	19% 9% 2 6% 4 5% 3 4 5% 6% 38%	1900
	11th to 20th	Day	22% 9% 2 6% 4 4 3 2 5% 4 40%	1848
	21st to end	Day	21% 8% 3 8% 4 3 3 3 4 5% 38%	1570
March	1st to 10th	Day	23% 9% 3 7% 4 4 4 3 6% 6% 32%	3120
	11th to 20th	Day	14% 7% 3 6% 4 4 3 3 5% 6% 46%	3480
	21st to end	Day	17% 7% 2 7% 5% 4 5% 4 5% 7% 38%	3815
April	1st to 10th	Day	13% 7% 2 5% 4 4 5% 4 6% 7% 45%	2239
	11th to 20th	Day	13% 7% 2 6% 4 4 4 3 5% 5% 46%	2254
	21st to end	Day	10% 4 2 5% 5% 5% 5% 3 6% 7% 48%	2373
May	1st to 10th	Day	10% 6% 3 7% 4 5% 4 3 7% 8% 42%	4082
	11th to 20th	Day	16% 7% 3 7% 4 4 5% 4 6% 7% 38%	4081
	21st to end	Day	8% 5% 2 6% 5% 4 5% 5% 7% 10% 43%	4476
June	1st to 10th	Day	9% 6% 3 7% 6% 6% 5% 5% 8% 9% 35%	2470
	11th to 20th	Day	5% 4 2 6% 5% 5% 6% 5% 8% 10% 44%	2470
	21st to end	Day	7% 6% 2 6% 6% 6% 7% 5% 7% 10% 38%	2470
July	1st to 10th	Day	6% 5% 3 8% 7% 8% 8% 7% 10% 11% 27%	4120
	11th to 20th	Day	8% 5% 2 7% 6% 6% 7% 6% 7% 11% 35%	4120
	21st to end	Day	11% 10% 4 10% 8% 7% 7% 5% 8% 10% 20%	4466
August	1st to 10th	Day	4 3 1 5% 4 5% 6% 6% 9% 12% 43%	4016
	11th to 20th	Day	6% 5% 2 6% 5% 6% 6% 5% 7% 11% 42%	3729
	21st to end	Day	7% 4 2 6% 5% 5% 5% 4 6% 7% 50%	4180
September	1st to 10th	Day	9% 5% 2 7% 6% 5% 7% 5% 7% 9% 38%	2152
	11th to 20th	Day	14% 7% 2 6% 4 5% 5% 3 6% 7% 41%	2090
	21st to end	Day	14% 6% 2 5% 3 4 4 4 5% 5% 48%	2090
October	1st to 10th	Day	11% 4 2 5% 5% 4 3 3 5% 5% 54%	2090
	11th to 20th	Day	10% 6% 2 5% 3 3 3 3 5% 6% 55%	2030
	21st to end	Day	14% 5% 2 4 3 3 4 3 4 5% 53%	1918
November	1st to 10th	Day	12% 6% 2 5% 3 3 3 2 3 5% 56%	1672
	11th to 20th	Day	13% 7% 2 6% 3 3 3 4 4 6% 51%	1710
	21st to end	Day	14% 7% 2 5% 4 3 4 3 6% 7% 45%	1710
December	1st to 10th	Day	20% 7% 3 6% 4 3 4 4 4 7% 37%	1710
	11th to 20th	Day	18% 8% 2 6% 5% 4 4 3 4 5% 42%	2153
	21st to end	Day	19% 8% 3 8% 4 4 4 3 4 7% 34%	3124
January	1st to 10th	Night	18% 10% 3 6% 3 3 4 3 5% 6% 39%	4109
	11th to 20th	Night	15% 10% 3 6% 3 3 3 3 4 5% 44%	4120
	21st to end	Night	22% 13% 3 6% 3 3 3 2 3 4 38%	4299
February	1st to 10th	Night	16% 9% 2 5% 4 4 3 4 5% 6% 42%	2280
	11th to 20th	Night	22% 8% 3 6% 3 3 4 2 4 4 42%	2218
	21st to end	Night	20% 8% 2 7% 4 4 3 3 6% 6% 38%	1884
March	1st to 10th	Night	23% 10% 3 6% 4 4 4 3 4 6% 34%	3733
	11th to 20th	Night	12% 6% 2 5% 4 3 4 3 6% 7% 49%	3480
	21st to end	Night	17% 7% 2 7% 5% 4 4 3 5% 5% 40%	3817
April	1st to 10th	Night	12% 4 2 5% 4 4 4 4 6% 8% 47%	1955
	11th to 20th	Night	12% 6% 2 5% 4 3 3 3 5% 6% 50%	1875
	21st to end	Night	9% 6% 2 5% 3 4 3 4 5% 7% 52%	1805
May	1st to 10th	Night	10% 7% 2 7% 6% 4 5% 3 6% 8% 41%	2813
	11th to 20th	Night	15% 7% 2 7% 5% 4 4 4 6% 8% 39%	2812
	21st to end	Night	6% 4 2 5% 5% 4 5% 5% 8% 11% 45%	3079
June	1st to 10th	Night	6% 5% 3 7% 6% 5% 6% 6% 7% 12% 38%	1710
	11th to 20th	Night	3 3 2 5% 5% 5% 5% 4 7% 11% 50%	1710
	21st to end	Night	5% 5% 2 5% 4 4 5% 5% 7% 12% 45%	1710
July	1st to 10th	Night	7% 6% 3 7% 7% 6% 6% 6% 9% 11% 32%	2840
	11th to 20th	Night	7% 5% 2 5% 5% 4 6% 5% 10% 13% 38%	2840
	21st to end	Night	10% 9% 4 11% 6% 7% 7% 5% 8% 9% 25%	3087
August	1st to 10th	Night	4 4 2 6% 5% 5% 5% 5% 7% 13% 44%	2908
	11th to 20th	Night	7% 5% 3 5% 5% 4 4 5% 5% 9% 48%	3100
	21st to end	Night	8% 5% 2 5% 3 3 4 3 6% 8% 54%	3476
September	1st to 10th	Night	8% 5% 2 6% 5% 5% 5% 4 7% 9% 43%	2009
	11th to 20th	Night	13% 5% 2 6% 4 5% 5% 3 6% 7% 43%	2090
	21st to end	Night	10% 5% 2 5% 3 3 3 3 6% 7% 52%	2090
October	1st to 10th	Night	9% 5% 1 5% 3 3 3 3 4 6% 59%	2090
	11th to 20th	Night	11% 5% 2 5% 4 3 3 3 4 5% 56%	2132
	21st to end	Night	13% 5% 2 5% 4 3 3 3 4 4 55%	2434
November	1st to 10th	Night	11% 5% 1 4 3 3 4 3 4 5% 55%	2406
	11th to 20th	Night	12% 6% 2 4 3 3 3 3 4 7% 53%	2470
	21st to end	Night	15% 6% 2 5% 4 4 4 3 5% 6% 46%	2470
December	1st to 10th	Night	18% 7% 3 7% 5% 4 4 3 6% 6% 38%	2470
	11th to 20th	Night	17% 8% 2 5% 3 3 3 3 4 5% 47%	3042
	21st to end	Night	18% 9% 4 8% 4 4 4 4 6% 8% 32%	4532

Transparency (when cloud cover <= 30%)
Color Meanings: Too cloudy to forecast Poor Below Average Average Above average Transparent
Month	Days in Month		Occurrence of each Forecast	Data Points
January	1st to 10th	Day	47% 5% 8% 15% 22% 4	2837
	11th to 20th	Day	42% 4 6% 22% 23% 3	2840
	21st to end	Day	50% 3 6% 17% 20% 4	3352
February	1st to 10th	Day	47% 4 7% 18% 21% 3	1900
	11th to 20th	Day	49% 3 5% 18% 20% 5%	1858
	21st to end	Day	48% 4 8% 12% 21% 6%	1570
March	1st to 10th	Day	52% 5% 9% 10% 15% 9%	3120
	11th to 20th	Day	39% 5% 7% 18% 23% 8%	3480
	21st to end	Day	45% 5% 10% 18% 18% 4	3815
April	1st to 10th	Day	38% 5% 11% 21% 20% 6%	2239
	11th to 20th	Day	39% 5% 6% 17% 25% 8%	2254
	21st to end	Day	33% 6% 11% 25% 21% 3	2373
May	1st to 10th	Day	37% 7% 13% 24% 17% 2	4120
	11th to 20th	Day	43% 8% 12% 24% 12% 1	4085
	21st to end	Day	33% 9% 12% 24% 19% 2	4489
June	1st to 10th	Day	41% 12% 14% 20% 11% 2	2470
	11th to 20th	Day	31% 9% 19% 24% 15% 2	2470
	21st to end	Day	37% 11% 16% 21% 12% 3	2470
July	1st to 10th	Day	41% 15% 19% 17% 6% 1	4055
	11th to 20th	Day	39% 12% 21% 19% 7% 2	4051
	21st to end	Day	56% 11% 15% 12% 5%	4324
August	1st to 10th	Day	28% 10% 14% 34% 13%	4003
	11th to 20th	Day	32% 9% 17% 26% 14% 3	3765
	21st to end	Day	32% 8% 12% 22% 22% 4	4179
September	1st to 10th	Day	39% 10% 14% 15% 16% 6%	2152
	11th to 20th	Day	41% 8% 10% 20% 18% 2	2090
	21st to end	Day	37% 6% 10% 17% 23% 7%	2090
October	1st to 10th	Day	31% 7% 8% 16% 29% 9%	2090
	11th to 20th	Day	30% 5% 8% 22% 25% 10%	2030
	21st to end	Day	33% 5% 6% 18% 29% 9%	1918
November	1st to 10th	Day	32% 3 7% 18% 31% 9%	1672
	11th to 20th	Day	34% 4 8% 17% 27% 10%	1710
	21st to end	Day	38% 5% 7% 17% 26% 6%	1710
December	1st to 10th	Day	46% 5% 8% 17% 19% 5%	1710
	11th to 20th	Day	45% 3 7% 18% 22% 5%	2150
	21st to end	Day	49% 4 8% 19% 18% 2	3124
January	1st to 10th	Night	45% 4 6% 18% 23% 3	4109
	11th to 20th	Night	42% 4 7% 22% 19% 6%	4120
	21st to end	Night	51% 3 5% 14% 23% 4	4299
February	1st to 10th	Night	43% 5% 6% 20% 20% 7%	2280
	11th to 20th	Night	47% 3 6% 17% 19% 8%	2219
	21st to end	Night	47% 5% 8% 15% 18% 8%	1884
March	1st to 10th	Night	51% 6% 10% 13% 15% 6%	3733
	11th to 20th	Night	33% 5% 9% 18% 25% 10%	3480
	21st to end	Night	45% 4 7% 20% 20% 4	3817
April	1st to 10th	Night	34% 6% 12% 20% 21% 7%	1955
	11th to 20th	Night	35% 4 7% 21% 23% 9%	1875
	21st to end	Night	31% 5% 11% 28% 21% 5%	1805
May	1st to 10th	Night	37% 9% 12% 22% 18% 2	2840
	11th to 20th	Night	41% 8% 14% 25% 12% 1	2813
	21st to end	Night	28% 10% 14% 27% 19% 2	3087
June	1st to 10th	Night	35% 11% 17% 21% 14% 2	1710
	11th to 20th	Night	25% 9% 21% 26% 17% 2	1710
	21st to end	Night	29% 11% 19% 21% 15% 5%	1710
July	1st to 10th	Night	40% 13% 19% 20% 7% 1	2795
	11th to 20th	Night	32% 13% 23% 24% 7% 1	2786
	21st to end	Night	53% 13% 13% 14% 6% 1	2988
August	1st to 10th	Night	29% 9% 16% 35% 10% 1	2897
	11th to 20th	Night	31% 9% 15% 27% 16% 2	3130
	21st to end	Night	28% 8% 14% 17% 30% 4	3476
September	1st to 10th	Night	35% 10% 16% 17% 14% 7%	2009
	11th to 20th	Night	38% 8% 11% 21% 19% 2	2090
	21st to end	Night	30% 7% 11% 20% 23% 8%	2090
October	1st to 10th	Night	28% 5% 9% 21% 29% 10%	2090
	11th to 20th	Night	31% 4 7% 21% 26% 12%	2132
	21st to end	Night	33% 3 5% 18% 30% 11%	2434
November	1st to 10th	Night	31% 4 8% 19% 26% 12%	2406
	11th to 20th	Night	32% 4 6% 20% 27% 11%	2470
	21st to end	Night	38% 4 7% 20% 25% 6%	2470
December	1st to 10th	Night	46% 6% 8% 18% 19% 3	2470
	11th to 20th	Night	39% 4 7% 17% 28% 4	3044
	21st to end	Night	49% 4 8% 20% 16% 2	4532

Seeing (when cloud cover <= 80%)
Color Meanings: Too cloudy to forecast Bad 1/5 Poor 2/5 Average 3/5 Good 4/5 Excellent 5/5
Month	Days in Month		Occurrence of each Forecast	Data Points
January	1st to 10th	Day	24% 27% 35% 11% 2	270
	11th to 20th	Day	29% 22% 29% 15% 5%	270
	21st to end	Day	24% 28% 37% 8% 3 1	297
February	1st to 10th	Day	29% 20% 35% 14% 2	270
	11th to 20th	Day	36% 22% 31% 10% 1	270
	21st to end	Day	31% 25% 36% 7% 1	225
March	1st to 10th	Day	29% 20% 31% 16% 4 1	270
	11th to 20th	Day	24% 19% 31% 19% 7% 1	460
	21st to end	Day	21% 19% 35% 19% 6%	506
April	1st to 10th	Day	23% 15% 32% 17% 12% 2	460
	11th to 20th	Day	18% 17% 30% 22% 11% 2	452
	21st to end	Day	16% 11% 30% 28% 12% 3	460
May	1st to 10th	Day	14% 11% 29% 26% 14% 5%	463
	11th to 20th	Day	12% 6% 22% 34% 15% 10%	487
	21st to end	Day	11% 5% 21% 30% 21% 12%	529
June	1st to 10th	Day	11% 4 22% 30% 19% 12%	490
	11th to 20th	Day	7% 3 18% 27% 24% 21%	490
	21st to end	Day	10% 5% 16% 26% 26% 17%	490
July	1st to 10th	Day	8% 3 12% 27% 29% 21%	485
	11th to 20th	Day	7% 2 8% 25% 32% 27%	484
	21st to end	Day	9% 1 12% 24% 35% 19%	532
August	1st to 10th	Day	10% 2 14% 26% 30% 18%	486
	11th to 20th	Day	9% 4 11% 32% 27% 17%	479
	21st to end	Day	14% 2 10% 25% 29% 20%	539
September	1st to 10th	Day	9% 4 14% 30% 27% 16%	490
	11th to 20th	Day	16% 6% 13% 26% 27% 12%	490
	21st to end	Day	16% 4 20% 26% 27% 9%	490
October	1st to 10th	Day	13% 5% 21% 31% 21% 8%	490
	11th to 20th	Day	11% 11% 26% 27% 21% 3	486
	21st to end	Day	17% 12% 24% 28% 18% 2	433
November	1st to 10th	Day	19% 10% 31% 26% 11% 3	270
	11th to 20th	Day	19% 17% 38% 19% 7% 1	270
	21st to end	Day	13% 18% 39% 21% 7% 1	270
December	1st to 10th	Day	28% 20% 30% 17% 4 1	270
	11th to 20th	Day	24% 16% 32% 21% 5% 1	270
	21st to end	Day	30% 18% 30% 16% 6%	297
January	1st to 10th	Night	23% 19% 31% 23% 5%	760
	11th to 20th	Night	24% 15% 31% 24% 6%	760
	21st to end	Night	22% 17% 35% 23% 3	836
February	1st to 10th	Night	21% 15% 31% 29% 5%	760
	11th to 20th	Night	27% 16% 32% 23% 2	743
	21st to end	Night	24% 19% 35% 19% 3	628
March	1st to 10th	Night	21% 14% 32% 27% 5%	760
	11th to 20th	Night	18% 15% 34% 24% 9% 1	760
	21st to end	Night	19% 14% 30% 28% 9%	836
April	1st to 10th	Night	14% 14% 34% 26% 11%	625
	11th to 20th	Night	15% 12% 31% 28% 11% 1	563
	21st to end	Night	11% 10% 26% 37% 15% 1	570
May	1st to 10th	Night	11% 7% 25% 35% 20% 2	570
	11th to 20th	Night	12% 7% 20% 32% 25% 4	561
	21st to end	Night	9% 3 13% 37% 32% 6%	617
June	1st to 10th	Night	7% 3 12% 40% 31% 6%	570
	11th to 20th	Night	3 2 12% 31% 39% 13%	570
	21st to end	Night	6% 2 10% 32% 42% 8%	570
July	1st to 10th	Night	9% 3 8% 23% 44% 12%	555
	11th to 20th	Night	7% 1 6% 26% 47% 13%	552
	21st to end	Night	8% 2 9% 29% 43% 10%	624
August	1st to 10th	Night	6% 5% 32% 46% 10%	567
	11th to 20th	Night	10% 2 7% 31% 41% 10%	564
	21st to end	Night	14% 3 8% 27% 38% 10%	627
September	1st to 10th	Night	9% 3 10% 28% 41% 10%	679
	11th to 20th	Night	15% 3 13% 29% 36% 4	760
	21st to end	Night	13% 4 14% 33% 33% 3	760
October	1st to 10th	Night	11% 4 21% 33% 25% 6%	760
	11th to 20th	Night	14% 6% 25% 31% 22% 2	759
	21st to end	Night	15% 9% 21% 36% 17% 2	792
November	1st to 10th	Night	14% 8% 23% 33% 20% 2	740
	11th to 20th	Night	15% 12% 29% 31% 12% 1	760
	21st to end	Night	18% 11% 27% 32% 11% 1	760
December	1st to 10th	Night	22% 15% 29% 26% 8%	760
	11th to 20th	Night	23% 11% 30% 27% 8% 1	760
	21st to end	Night	25% 13% 29% 26% 7%	836

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