Poudre Canyon Observatory
Clear Sky Chart
History

This sumarizes the distribution of each different forecast outcome for the Poudre Canyon Observatory clear sky chart from 2005-11-06 to 2024-01-13.

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	5% 5% 2 4 4 3 5% 5% 6% 8% 52%	74777
	Night	5% 5% 2 4 4 2 4 4 5% 8% 58%	74973
Transparency	Day	28% 6% 12% 25% 21% 8%	74482
	Night	25% 5% 11% 27% 24% 8%	74790
Seeing	Day	11% 12% 34% 28% 13% 3	14490
	Night	9% 10% 35% 32% 12% 2	24643

By Month

Percentage Cloud Cover SW (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	1 5% 2 5% 4 2 3 4 5% 9% 59%	1518
	11th to 20th	Day	1 5% 3 6% 5% 3 3 4 4 7% 59%	1474
	21st to end	Day	1 6% 3 5% 5% 3 4 4 5% 8% 55%	1782
February	1st to 10th	Day	1 6% 3 6% 4 2 4 4 5% 7% 56%	1620
	11th to 20th	Day	1 5% 2 4 5% 3 4 4 6% 9% 57%	1694
	21st to end	Day	1 7% 3 7% 5% 2 3 3 5% 7% 56%	1480
March	1st to 10th	Day	3 6% 3 6% 5% 2 3 5% 6% 8% 54%	1800
	11th to 20th	Day	6% 7% 2 5% 4 3 4 4 6% 8% 51%	1960
	21st to end	Day	6% 8% 3 5% 4 3 5% 5% 6% 9% 47%	2305
April	1st to 10th	Day	6% 6% 2 3 4 3 4 4 6% 9% 52%	2160
	11th to 20th	Day	9% 8% 3 6% 5% 3 6% 5% 5% 8% 43%	2131
	21st to end	Day	10% 8% 2 5% 5% 3 5% 6% 7% 8% 42%	2160
May	1st to 10th	Day	13% 7% 2 4 6% 3 5% 6% 7% 8% 38%	2334
	11th to 20th	Day	16% 9% 2 4 5% 3 5% 5% 6% 8% 37%	2478
	21st to end	Day	9% 6% 2 5% 6% 4 5% 7% 7% 10% 39%	2724
June	1st to 10th	Day	5% 3 2 4 5% 3 5% 6% 8% 10% 48%	2520
	11th to 20th	Day	7% 3 2 3 4 3 4 7% 8% 8% 52%	2520
	21st to end	Day	4 2 1 4 5% 3 6% 6% 8% 10% 51%	2520
July	1st to 10th	Day	8% 3 2 4 5% 3 6% 7% 8% 9% 45%	2520
	11th to 20th	Day	3 3 1 4 4 4 6% 6% 7% 9% 52%	2520
	21st to end	Day	5% 4 2 4 6% 5% 6% 7% 8% 10% 44%	2726
August	1st to 10th	Day	4 4 2 5% 6% 4 7% 8% 9% 10% 40%	2328
	11th to 20th	Day	4 3 2 4 5% 3 5% 6% 8% 8% 52%	2159
	21st to end	Day	4 3 1 4 5% 3 6% 6% 6% 7% 51%	2376
September	1st to 10th	Day	6% 4 1 3 3 2 4 5% 6% 7% 59%	2160
	11th to 20th	Day	7% 3 1 3 3 3 4 5% 6% 8% 57%	2151
	21st to end	Day	8% 4 2 3 3 2 3 4 4 5% 63%	1976
October	1st to 10th	Day	8% 6% 2 4 3 2 3 4 4 8% 57%	1800
	11th to 20th	Day	4 4 2 3 3 2 3 3 5% 6% 66%	1800
	21st to end	Day	5% 5% 2 4 3 2 3 4 5% 7% 61%	1903
November	1st to 10th	Day	2 4 1 3 3 1 4 3 4 8% 65%	1673
	11th to 20th	Day	2 5% 1 3 3 2 3 4 6% 7% 63%	1710
	21st to end	Day	2 5% 2 4 5% 2 3 4 6% 7% 60%	1555
December	1st to 10th	Day	1 4 3 4 4 3 4 4 5% 9% 58%	1520
	11th to 20th	Day	3 6% 2 3 4 2 4 4 5% 8% 60%	1926
	21st to end	Day	2 7% 4 7% 6% 3 5% 3 5% 7% 53%	2794
January	1st to 10th	Night	2 4 2 5% 4 3 3 4 5% 7% 62%	2647
	11th to 20th	Night	2 4 2 4 3 1 4 3 4 8% 64%	2547
	21st to end	Night	2 5% 2 5% 5% 2 4 5% 5% 7% 57%	2574
February	1st to 10th	Night	1 6% 3 5% 4 2 4 4 5% 8% 58%	2340
	11th to 20th	Night	1 6% 4 5% 5% 3 4 4 4 7% 57%	2151
	21st to end	Night	2 8% 4 6% 5% 2 3 3 4 5% 58%	1776
March	1st to 10th	Night	3 6% 4 5% 5% 2 3 4 4 8% 57%	2160
	11th to 20th	Night	5% 7% 2 4 4 2 4 4 5% 6% 58%	1998
	21st to end	Night	6% 7% 3 5% 3 2 5% 4 5% 7% 53%	2050
April	1st to 10th	Night	4 7% 2 4 4 3 3 5% 5% 8% 56%	1800
	11th to 20th	Night	8% 8% 1 5% 5% 2 3 4 4 7% 53%	1777
	21st to end	Night	14% 7% 2 4 4 1 4 4 5% 7% 48%	1800
May	1st to 10th	Night	14% 6% 2 5% 3 3 5% 4 6% 8% 44%	1621
	11th to 20th	Night	18% 6% 2 4 4 2 3 3 5% 7% 46%	1417
	21st to end	Night	8% 5% 2 4 4 3 4 4 7% 8% 52%	1552
June	1st to 10th	Night	7% 2 1 3 4 3 4 4 6% 10% 57%	1440
	11th to 20th	Night	6% 3 1 2 3 2 5% 5% 6% 7% 60%	1440
	21st to end	Night	6% 2 1 3 2 2 3 4 5% 9% 63%	1440
July	1st to 10th	Night	8% 2 1 3 3 3 4 5% 8% 9% 53%	1440
	11th to 20th	Night	2 1 2 3 4 3 4 5% 6% 12% 59%	1440
	21st to end	Night	5% 3 1 4 3 3 5% 6% 6% 9% 55%	1588
August	1st to 10th	Night	4 4 2 4 5% 3 4 5% 8% 9% 52%	1611
	11th to 20th	Night	4 3 2 3 4 2 3 4 6% 9% 60%	1740
	21st to end	Night	3 3 1 3 4 2 4 5% 6% 9% 59%	1980
September	1st to 10th	Night	6% 3 2 4 3 2 4 4 4 6% 61%	1800
	11th to 20th	Night	7% 3 1 2 3 2 3 3 4 6% 65%	1808
	21st to end	Night	7% 3 1 3 3 2 3 3 4 5% 65%	1981
October	1st to 10th	Night	10% 4 2 3 3 2 3 3 5% 6% 60%	2160
	11th to 20th	Night	5% 4 1 3 3 2 2 3 3 6% 68%	2160
	21st to end	Night	5% 8% 3 4 4 2 3 3 4 6% 60%	2434
November	1st to 10th	Night	3 4 1 3 3 2 2 4 4 7% 67%	2405
	11th to 20th	Night	2 5% 2 4 3 2 3 3 4 8% 64%	2470
	21st to end	Night	3 5% 3 3 3 2 3 3 6% 7% 61%	2622
December	1st to 10th	Night	1 5% 3 6% 4 2 3 3 4 7% 62%	2660
	11th to 20th	Night	3 5% 2 4 4 2 3 4 5% 11% 57%	3271
	21st to end	Night	3 7% 3 6% 5% 3 4 4 4 7% 53%	4873

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	22% 4 14% 33% 21% 5%	1519
	11th to 20th	Day	25% 4 12% 32% 22% 6%	1474
	21st to end	Day	26% 5% 12% 32% 19% 6%	1782
February	1st to 10th	Day	27% 4 15% 30% 18% 6%	1620
	11th to 20th	Day	24% 5% 11% 31% 24% 6%	1704
	21st to end	Day	29% 3 10% 27% 25% 6%	1480
March	1st to 10th	Day	27% 4 11% 31% 23% 4	1800
	11th to 20th	Day	31% 5% 14% 26% 21% 5%	1960
	21st to end	Day	32% 6% 14% 27% 16% 4	2305
April	1st to 10th	Day	28% 5% 14% 26% 18% 10%	2160
	11th to 20th	Day	36% 7% 10% 21% 18% 6%	2134
	21st to end	Day	36% 7% 11% 26% 17% 2	2160
May	1st to 10th	Day	41% 6% 13% 24% 14% 3	2334
	11th to 20th	Day	44% 6% 15% 22% 11% 1	2482
	21st to end	Day	36% 9% 16% 22% 14% 3	2724
June	1st to 10th	Day	28% 7% 20% 23% 17% 6%	2520
	11th to 20th	Day	27% 6% 12% 20% 21% 14%	2520
	21st to end	Day	24% 6% 11% 25% 21% 12%	2520
July	1st to 10th	Day	30% 8% 13% 19% 20% 10%	2451
	11th to 20th	Day	25% 6% 12% 23% 20% 13%	2445
	21st to end	Day	31% 7% 14% 24% 17% 6%	2574
August	1st to 10th	Day	33% 8% 16% 21% 14% 8%	2313
	11th to 20th	Day	27% 6% 11% 20% 22% 13%	2159
	21st to end	Day	28% 7% 10% 21% 25% 10%	2376
September	1st to 10th	Day	24% 4 10% 20% 27% 16%	2160
	11th to 20th	Day	24% 4 8% 23% 26% 13%	2151
	21st to end	Day	24% 3 7% 21% 36% 9%	1976
October	1st to 10th	Day	27% 5% 10% 23% 27% 9%	1800
	11th to 20th	Day	19% 4 10% 25% 31% 11%	1800
	21st to end	Day	23% 5% 9% 28% 24% 11%	1903
November	1st to 10th	Day	19% 4 12% 29% 27% 10%	1673
	11th to 20th	Day	19% 4 8% 31% 31% 7%	1710
	21st to end	Day	23% 3 9% 29% 27% 8%	1555
December	1st to 10th	Day	23% 5% 13% 33% 18% 8%	1520
	11th to 20th	Day	22% 5% 11% 30% 29% 3	1924
	21st to end	Day	30% 6% 8% 24% 24% 8%	2794
January	1st to 10th	Night	21% 4 13% 31% 25% 6%	2647
	11th to 20th	Night	19% 5% 14% 27% 29% 7%	2547
	21st to end	Night	26% 5% 8% 33% 22% 6%	2574
February	1st to 10th	Night	25% 6% 13% 30% 21% 5%	2340
	11th to 20th	Night	27% 6% 8% 31% 23% 5%	2151
	21st to end	Night	29% 4 7% 27% 25% 9%	1776
March	1st to 10th	Night	26% 5% 9% 29% 25% 6%	2160
	11th to 20th	Night	25% 6% 10% 25% 29% 5%	1998
	21st to end	Night	30% 6% 12% 29% 18% 4	2050
April	1st to 10th	Night	26% 5% 12% 27% 22% 8%	1800
	11th to 20th	Night	31% 6% 12% 27% 18% 6%	1777
	21st to end	Night	35% 6% 8% 28% 21% 2	1800
May	1st to 10th	Night	36% 8% 13% 25% 16% 3	1621
	11th to 20th	Night	37% 6% 17% 25% 15% 1	1418
	21st to end	Night	29% 6% 20% 26% 14% 5%	1552
June	1st to 10th	Night	24% 5% 23% 26% 15% 7%	1440
	11th to 20th	Night	22% 6% 12% 22% 21% 18%	1440
	21st to end	Night	18% 6% 10% 27% 28% 12%	1440
July	1st to 10th	Night	25% 7% 14% 27% 20% 8%	1400
	11th to 20th	Night	19% 5% 13% 28% 21% 15%	1392
	21st to end	Night	25% 6% 15% 31% 16% 7%	1500
August	1st to 10th	Night	27% 7% 19% 23% 16% 8%	1602
	11th to 20th	Night	22% 4 11% 27% 24% 12%	1740
	21st to end	Night	22% 4 10% 26% 27% 11%	1980
September	1st to 10th	Night	23% 5% 10% 19% 23% 20%	1800
	11th to 20th	Night	20% 3 9% 27% 25% 15%	1808
	21st to end	Night	22% 3 6% 27% 30% 12%	1981
October	1st to 10th	Night	25% 5% 10% 22% 27% 10%	2160
	11th to 20th	Night	19% 4 9% 25% 30% 14%	2160
	21st to end	Night	26% 4 9% 25% 27% 9%	2434
November	1st to 10th	Night	18% 4 12% 27% 27% 11%	2405
	11th to 20th	Night	19% 4 9% 31% 29% 8%	2470
	21st to end	Night	23% 4 9% 26% 28% 9%	2622
December	1st to 10th	Night	23% 4 14% 27% 23% 9%	2660
	11th to 20th	Night	21% 5% 10% 33% 26% 4	3272
	21st to end	Night	29% 6% 10% 25% 24% 7%	4873

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	11% 12% 38% 27% 8% 4	270
	11th to 20th	Day	9% 19% 47% 20% 5%	246
	21st to end	Day	10% 22% 48% 17% 3	264
February	1st to 10th	Day	10% 30% 44% 15% 1	240
	11th to 20th	Day	10% 22% 45% 19% 3	240
	21st to end	Day	9% 21% 47% 21% 2	198
March	1st to 10th	Day	12% 15% 43% 26% 5%	240
	11th to 20th	Day	15% 17% 40% 22% 6% 1	400
	21st to end	Day	16% 21% 39% 19% 4 1	462
April	1st to 10th	Day	15% 23% 36% 20% 5%	420
	11th to 20th	Day	20% 21% 40% 15% 4 1	412
	21st to end	Day	22% 18% 34% 20% 5% 1	420
May	1st to 10th	Day	18% 14% 33% 24% 8% 1	553
	11th to 20th	Day	22% 8% 28% 25% 13% 4	625
	21st to end	Day	13% 10% 26% 30% 19% 3	679
June	1st to 10th	Day	7% 8% 27% 33% 19% 5%	630
	11th to 20th	Day	8% 7% 36% 31% 16% 2	630
	21st to end	Day	5% 6% 30% 33% 20% 5%	630
July	1st to 10th	Day	9% 3 19% 36% 26% 7%	621
	11th to 20th	Day	3 3 23% 40% 24% 7%	618
	21st to end	Day	6% 4 19% 38% 27% 6%	668
August	1st to 10th	Day	7% 5% 27% 39% 18% 4	447
	11th to 20th	Day	4 5% 30% 37% 20% 3	437
	21st to end	Day	7% 6% 29% 37% 18% 4	495
September	1st to 10th	Day	9% 5% 32% 35% 14% 4	450
	11th to 20th	Day	7% 5% 33% 34% 19% 2	441
	21st to end	Day	10% 8% 29% 31% 16% 6%	270
October	1st to 10th	Day	13% 9% 28% 29% 15% 7%	270
	11th to 20th	Day	9% 16% 41% 24% 8% 3	270
	21st to end	Day	10% 14% 42% 27% 6% 1	297
November	1st to 10th	Day	7% 13% 46% 21% 7% 5%	270
	11th to 20th	Day	12% 13% 44% 23% 6% 1	270
	21st to end	Day	11% 16% 45% 24% 3 1	270
December	1st to 10th	Day	11% 19% 41% 23% 5% 1	270
	11th to 20th	Day	12% 14% 52% 19% 3	270
	21st to end	Day	9% 20% 47% 18% 4 1	297
January	1st to 10th	Night	8% 16% 43% 24% 7% 2	950
	11th to 20th	Night	11% 20% 43% 18% 6% 1	909
	21st to end	Night	7% 18% 46% 23% 5% 1	792
February	1st to 10th	Night	6% 20% 51% 19% 3 1	720
	11th to 20th	Night	7% 17% 46% 25% 4	704
	21st to end	Night	7% 16% 53% 23% 2	592
March	1st to 10th	Night	7% 13% 48% 27% 5% 1	720
	11th to 20th	Night	8% 13% 37% 34% 8% 1	720
	21st to end	Night	11% 14% 41% 29% 5% 1	664
April	1st to 10th	Night	11% 12% 44% 29% 4	540
	11th to 20th	Night	14% 12% 38% 28% 8% 1	533
	21st to end	Night	18% 11% 29% 31% 9% 1	540
May	1st to 10th	Night	18% 7% 30% 31% 12% 2	540
	11th to 20th	Night	20% 6% 21% 35% 16% 2	531
	21st to end	Night	10% 5% 27% 34% 22% 2	584
June	1st to 10th	Night	6% 4 19% 48% 21% 3	540
	11th to 20th	Night	8% 4 23% 51% 13% 1	540
	21st to end	Night	7% 2 18% 47% 24% 3	540
July	1st to 10th	Night	9% 2 9% 43% 34% 3	525
	11th to 20th	Night	2 2 11% 52% 30% 3	522
	21st to end	Night	6% 3 8% 43% 37% 3	591
August	1st to 10th	Night	4 4 11% 48% 30% 2	537
	11th to 20th	Night	4 3 11% 54% 25% 4	534
	21st to end	Night	4 2 11% 49% 31% 4	594
September	1st to 10th	Night	8% 3 17% 45% 22% 5%	540
	11th to 20th	Night	9% 3 19% 44% 20% 5%	540
	21st to end	Night	9% 2 28% 41% 19% 2	541
October	1st to 10th	Night	11% 7% 30% 35% 14% 3	720
	11th to 20th	Night	8% 7% 37% 35% 12% 1	720
	21st to end	Night	11% 12% 39% 29% 7% 2	850
November	1st to 10th	Night	7% 7% 46% 29% 9% 2	925
	11th to 20th	Night	9% 15% 45% 26% 4 1	950
	21st to end	Night	8% 13% 43% 30% 6% 1	950
December	1st to 10th	Night	7% 17% 48% 23% 4	950
	11th to 20th	Night	9% 13% 51% 22% 5% 1	950
	21st to end	Night	9% 15% 47% 22% 5% 1	1045

Page generated at 2024-01-09 23:25:06. Version ac07

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