South Fork Observatory
Clear Sky Chart
History

This sumarizes the distribution of each different forecast outcome for the South Fork Observatory clear sky chart from 2005-11-06 to 2024-01-16.

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	7% 4 1 3 3 2 3 3 4 6% 65%	74829
	Night	8% 4 1 3 3 2 3 3 4 6% 65%	74994
Transparency	Day	23% 6% 7% 20% 27% 17%	74541
	Night	23% 5% 8% 22% 27% 15%	74804
Seeing	Day	10% 12% 32% 32% 10% 3	14166
	Night	8% 3 18% 35% 28% 8%	23869

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	14% 6% 1 5% 4 2 4 4 5% 8% 47%	1519
	11th to 20th	Day	10% 5% 2 4 3 2 3 4 6% 7% 52%	1574
	21st to end	Day	12% 10% 2 5% 4 3 4 5% 4 7% 44%	1782
February	1st to 10th	Day	14% 8% 2 3 2 2 3 3 4 7% 52%	1790
	11th to 20th	Day	12% 10% 2 3 4 2 3 4 5% 7% 49%	1750
	21st to end	Day	16% 11% 3 5% 4 2 3 3 5% 6% 41%	1480
March	1st to 10th	Day	15% 11% 3 4 5% 2 4 4 4 6% 42%	1800
	11th to 20th	Day	11% 8% 2 4 5% 3 4 4 6% 8% 45%	1882
	21st to end	Day	14% 9% 3 5% 5% 2 4 3 4 6% 46%	2362
April	1st to 10th	Day	11% 6% 2 4 5% 3 3 3 5% 6% 52%	2160
	11th to 20th	Day	10% 8% 2 4 4 2 3 3 4 6% 54%	2129
	21st to end	Day	9% 5% 2 3 3 1 3 3 4 7% 59%	2160
May	1st to 10th	Day	7% 5% 1 3 3 2 2 2 4 6% 65%	2240
	11th to 20th	Day	4 4 1 3 3 2 3 3 3 7% 67%	2301
	21st to end	Day	7% 3 1 3 3 1 3 3 5% 6% 65%	2627
June	1st to 10th	Day	3 3 1 2 3 2 3 4 4 6% 69%	2520
	11th to 20th	Day	1 1 1 1 1 1 2 3 4 85%	2520
	21st to end	Day	1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 86%	2520
July	1st to 10th	Day	1 1 1 1 1 1 1 3 3 3 84%	2520
	11th to 20th	Day	1 1 1 1 2 1 2 2 3 4 81%	2520
	21st to end	Day	1 1 1 2 2 1 2 3 4 5% 78%	2611
August	1st to 10th	Day	1 1 1 2 1 2 2 2 3 84%	2149
	11th to 20th	Day	1 1 1 1 2 3 3 4 84%	2122
	21st to end	Day	1 1 1 1 1 1 2 3 3 86%	2376
September	1st to 10th	Day	1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 3 85%	2160
	11th to 20th	Day	1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 3 84%	2075
	21st to end	Day	2 1 1 1 1 1 2 3 3 4 82%	1980
October	1st to 10th	Day	4 4 1 2 1 1 3 4 4 6% 70%	1942
	11th to 20th	Day	3 3 2 3 2 1 3 3 3 4 73%	1800
	21st to end	Day	5% 3 1 3 2 2 2 2 3 5% 72%	1936
November	1st to 10th	Day	7% 5% 2 3 3 2 3 3 4 7% 60%	1674
	11th to 20th	Day	7% 3 1 3 2 1 3 3 4 6% 66%	1710
	21st to end	Day	8% 5% 2 3 3 2 3 4 4 7% 59%	1710
December	1st to 10th	Day	11% 4 1 4 3 2 3 4 4 7% 56%	1706
	11th to 20th	Day	16% 10% 2 5% 5% 3 5% 4 5% 7% 39%	1928
	21st to end	Day	13% 8% 2 5% 5% 3 4 6% 4 9% 40%	2794
January	1st to 10th	Night	15% 5% 2 4 4 2 3 4 5% 7% 49%	2646
	11th to 20th	Night	9% 4 2 4 4 2 4 4 5% 7% 55%	2509
	21st to end	Night	14% 5% 2 3 3 2 3 3 4 9% 52%	2574
February	1st to 10th	Night	12% 7% 2 3 3 2 4 3 4 6% 53%	2168
	11th to 20th	Night	12% 6% 2 3 3 2 3 3 4 7% 58%	2098
	21st to end	Night	15% 8% 2 4 3 2 2 4 4 6% 49%	1776
March	1st to 10th	Night	12% 6% 3 6% 4 3 4 4 5% 6% 48%	2160
	11th to 20th	Night	12% 6% 2 3 3 2 3 5% 5% 8% 51%	2075
	21st to end	Night	13% 7% 2 4 4 2 4 3 4 6% 52%	1994
April	1st to 10th	Night	10% 4 2 3 4 2 2 4 5% 6% 60%	1800
	11th to 20th	Night	9% 4 1 2 4 2 3 4 4 5% 62%	1779
	21st to end	Night	6% 4 1 2 2 2 2 3 4 8% 66%	1800
May	1st to 10th	Night	7% 3 1 3 2 2 2 2 4 7% 67%	1717
	11th to 20th	Night	6% 2 1 2 2 2 2 3 3 5% 72%	1594
	21st to end	Night	7% 2 1 2 2 1 2 3 3 5% 72%	1645
June	1st to 10th	Night	4 2 1 2 2 1 2 2 2 6% 74%	1440
	11th to 20th	Night	1 1 1 1 2 1 1 2 2 4 85%	1440
	21st to end	Night	1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 3 88%	1440
July	1st to 10th	Night	1 1 1 2 1 2 4 87%	1440
	11th to 20th	Night	1 1 1 1 1 1 2 3 3 4 82%	1440
	21st to end	Night	2 2 1 2 3 1 2 3 3 4 79%	1699
August	1st to 10th	Night	1 2 1 2 1 1 2 2 4 85%	1790
	11th to 20th	Night	1 1 1 1 1 1 2 3 89%	1780
	21st to end	Night	1 1 1 1 1 2 2 3 88%	1980
September	1st to 10th	Night	1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 2 89%	1800
	11th to 20th	Night	1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 3 85%	1884
	21st to end	Night	1 1 1 2 1 2 2 3 3 84%	1980
October	1st to 10th	Night	4 1 1 1 2 2 2 3 3 5% 75%	2015
	11th to 20th	Night	4 1 1 1 3 2 2 3 4 5% 74%	2160
	21st to end	Night	3 2 1 2 2 1 2 2 2 4 78%	2418
November	1st to 10th	Night	7% 4 2 3 3 2 2 3 4 6% 65%	2405
	11th to 20th	Night	6% 3 2 3 3 2 2 3 4 8% 64%	2470
	21st to end	Night	8% 4 2 3 3 3 3 4 4 7% 58%	2470
December	1st to 10th	Night	10% 5% 2 5% 4 2 4 4 4 6% 55%	2470
	11th to 20th	Night	18% 6% 2 5% 4 2 4 4 5% 7% 42%	3276
	21st to end	Night	10% 7% 2 6% 6% 3 5% 5% 5% 8% 41%	4862

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	36% 6% 12% 24% 20% 3	1519
	11th to 20th	Day	31% 8% 9% 24% 18% 9%	1574
	21st to end	Day	42% 5% 10% 17% 20% 6%	1782
February	1st to 10th	Day	34% 5% 8% 26% 20% 9%	1790
	11th to 20th	Day	35% 5% 9% 21% 22% 8%	1760
	21st to end	Day	45% 5% 9% 25% 14% 2	1480
March	1st to 10th	Day	43% 8% 8% 19% 17% 5%	1800
	11th to 20th	Day	37% 9% 11% 22% 17% 4	1882
	21st to end	Day	40% 9% 14% 22% 13% 2	2362
April	1st to 10th	Day	34% 8% 12% 26% 17% 4	2160
	11th to 20th	Day	32% 7% 13% 23% 21% 4	2132
	21st to end	Day	26% 8% 10% 35% 19% 1	2160
May	1st to 10th	Day	22% 7% 9% 31% 29% 2	2240
	11th to 20th	Day	21% 7% 8% 33% 27% 4	2304
	21st to end	Day	21% 8% 8% 36% 24% 2	2627
June	1st to 10th	Day	18% 6% 10% 24% 33% 8%	2520
	11th to 20th	Day	7% 4 6% 20% 41% 22%	2520
	21st to end	Day	8% 4 2 12% 43% 32%	2520
July	1st to 10th	Day	8% 4 2 10% 31% 45%	2451
	11th to 20th	Day	10% 4 4 13% 34% 36%	2445
	21st to end	Day	12% 5% 5% 16% 32% 30%	2465
August	1st to 10th	Day	9% 3 2 9% 37% 39%	2135
	11th to 20th	Day	7% 4 2 13% 38% 36%	2122
	21st to end	Day	6% 3 1 11% 39% 39%	2376
September	1st to 10th	Day	7% 3 3 11% 36% 40%	2160
	11th to 20th	Day	9% 4 2 20% 41% 25%	2075
	21st to end	Day	9% 5% 2 21% 41% 22%	1980
October	1st to 10th	Day	18% 7% 4 19% 27% 25%	1942
	11th to 20th	Day	17% 4 4 20% 32% 23%	1800
	21st to end	Day	17% 5% 4 20% 32% 22%	1936
November	1st to 10th	Day	25% 5% 7% 21% 28% 15%	1674
	11th to 20th	Day	21% 4 9% 24% 29% 13%	1710
	21st to end	Day	28% 6% 7% 16% 28% 15%	1710
December	1st to 10th	Day	29% 7% 9% 21% 22% 12%	1706
	11th to 20th	Day	46% 7% 8% 15% 16% 8%	1928
	21st to end	Day	41% 6% 12% 21% 15% 4	2794
January	1st to 10th	Night	34% 5% 11% 26% 21% 3	2646
	11th to 20th	Night	28% 7% 9% 26% 21% 9%	2509
	21st to end	Night	33% 6% 11% 20% 23% 7%	2574
February	1st to 10th	Night	35% 4 6% 25% 22% 8%	2168
	11th to 20th	Night	30% 5% 8% 22% 25% 9%	2099
	21st to end	Night	37% 7% 10% 25% 18% 3	1776
March	1st to 10th	Night	37% 7% 11% 21% 20% 4	2160
	11th to 20th	Night	32% 7% 12% 24% 20% 4	2075
	21st to end	Night	35% 8% 14% 28% 13% 2	1994
April	1st to 10th	Night	29% 7% 14% 28% 16% 6%	1800
	11th to 20th	Night	25% 8% 12% 29% 22% 4	1779
	21st to end	Night	19% 7% 14% 41% 19% 1	1800
May	1st to 10th	Night	21% 6% 9% 34% 28% 3	1717
	11th to 20th	Night	18% 4 8% 34% 31% 4	1595
	21st to end	Night	18% 6% 10% 33% 30% 3	1645
June	1st to 10th	Night	15% 4 11% 26% 35% 9%	1440
	11th to 20th	Night	8% 4 6% 21% 38% 23%	1440
	21st to end	Night	6% 2 2 14% 44% 33%	1440
July	1st to 10th	Night	6% 2 2 12% 32% 46%	1400
	11th to 20th	Night	9% 3 5% 14% 32% 37%	1392
	21st to end	Night	13% 3 5% 18% 29% 33%	1605
August	1st to 10th	Night	9% 2 3 13% 33% 41%	1780
	11th to 20th	Night	5% 2 2 18% 38% 36%	1780
	21st to end	Night	6% 2 1 11% 44% 35%	1980
September	1st to 10th	Night	6% 3 1 11% 32% 48%	1800
	11th to 20th	Night	7% 3 4 19% 42% 25%	1884
	21st to end	Night	8% 3 3 21% 40% 24%	1980
October	1st to 10th	Night	15% 5% 5% 20% 29% 26%	2015
	11th to 20th	Night	14% 5% 5% 19% 32% 24%	2160
	21st to end	Night	15% 4 4 22% 34% 23%	2418
November	1st to 10th	Night	22% 4 8% 21% 27% 17%	2405
	11th to 20th	Night	21% 4 9% 20% 29% 16%	2470
	21st to end	Night	28% 5% 9% 17% 28% 13%	2470
December	1st to 10th	Night	31% 6% 8% 20% 22% 13%	2470
	11th to 20th	Night	42% 8% 9% 17% 16% 7%	3276
	21st to end	Night	38% 7% 10% 24% 16% 4	4862

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% 12% 34% 21% 7% 1	180
	11th to 20th	Day	16% 11% 31% 28% 11% 3	262
	21st to end	Day	20% 9% 33% 25% 11% 2	374
February	1st to 10th	Day	18% 11% 30% 26% 11% 4	416
	11th to 20th	Day	19% 16% 34% 21% 7% 2	415
	21st to end	Day	20% 16% 37% 21% 5% 1	346
March	1st to 10th	Day	20% 21% 34% 18% 6% 1	420
	11th to 20th	Day	17% 21% 30% 23% 8% 2	420
	21st to end	Day	21% 24% 32% 18% 4	462
April	1st to 10th	Day	17% 20% 31% 24% 7% 1	420
	11th to 20th	Day	22% 18% 31% 23% 4 1	412
	21st to end	Day	10% 21% 33% 24% 10% 2	420
May	1st to 10th	Day	12% 23% 32% 22% 8% 2	423
	11th to 20th	Day	11% 16% 34% 27% 9% 2	448
	21st to end	Day	13% 15% 31% 29% 10% 3	485
June	1st to 10th	Day	4 14% 30% 36% 13% 3	450
	11th to 20th	Day	3 13% 33% 34% 13% 4	450
	21st to end	Day	1 12% 35% 35% 13% 5%	450
July	1st to 10th	Day	1 3 33% 45% 13% 4	446
	11th to 20th	Day	2 1 20% 56% 14% 7%	444
	21st to end	Day	2 2 22% 56% 11% 7%	487
August	1st to 10th	Day	2 7% 37% 39% 9% 6%	447
	11th to 20th	Day	2 3 32% 45% 10% 8%	437
	21st to end	Day	1 2 33% 46% 13% 5%	495
September	1st to 10th	Day	2 7% 34% 41% 13% 3	450
	11th to 20th	Day	2 11% 38% 38% 10% 1	450
	21st to end	Day	4 12% 33% 39% 12% 1	450
October	1st to 10th	Day	4 15% 32% 36% 12%	450
	11th to 20th	Day	6% 12% 36% 37% 10% 1	450
	21st to end	Day	6% 12% 31% 35% 15% 1	451
November	1st to 10th	Day	10% 12% 31% 31% 15% 1	270
	11th to 20th	Day	7% 11% 32% 30% 16% 4	270
	21st to end	Day	12% 13% 29% 32% 13% 2	270
December	1st to 10th	Day	13% 13% 32% 31% 9% 1	268
	11th to 20th	Day	14% 8% 41% 20% 14% 3	180
	21st to end	Day	24% 9% 33% 22% 10% 2	198
January	1st to 10th	Night	17% 4 26% 26% 18% 9%	760
	11th to 20th	Night	9% 6% 26% 35% 19% 6%	744
	21st to end	Night	17% 4 26% 30% 18% 5%	792
February	1st to 10th	Night	15% 4 24% 35% 17% 5%	720
	11th to 20th	Night	13% 4 25% 31% 19% 8%	704
	21st to end	Night	18% 6% 21% 37% 15% 3	592
March	1st to 10th	Night	14% 7% 22% 35% 18% 4	720
	11th to 20th	Night	13% 5% 21% 30% 24% 7%	720
	21st to end	Night	15% 5% 23% 37% 18% 2	792
April	1st to 10th	Night	12% 4 23% 40% 19% 4	720
	11th to 20th	Night	11% 6% 23% 32% 22% 5%	711
	21st to end	Night	7% 5% 22% 36% 24% 6%	720
May	1st to 10th	Night	7% 4 24% 35% 27% 4	637
	11th to 20th	Night	7% 4 20% 37% 29% 4	531
	21st to end	Night	7% 5% 20% 35% 29% 3	483
June	1st to 10th	Night	5% 3 14% 39% 33% 6%	360
	11th to 20th	Night	1 1 15% 41% 34% 8%	360
	21st to end	Night	1 14% 34% 43% 8%	360
July	1st to 10th	Night	1 8% 31% 50% 10%	350
	11th to 20th	Night	1 5% 30% 52% 11%	348
	21st to end	Night	1 1 9% 28% 47% 15%	517
August	1st to 10th	Night	2 1 10% 34% 43% 10%	716
	11th to 20th	Night	1 6% 33% 46% 13%	712
	21st to end	Night	1 6% 29% 51% 13%	792
September	1st to 10th	Night	1 1 7% 33% 44% 13%	720
	11th to 20th	Night	1 1 11% 40% 36% 11%	720
	21st to end	Night	2 2 12% 36% 38% 11%	720
October	1st to 10th	Night	3 2 16% 43% 28% 8%	720
	11th to 20th	Night	4 1 17% 37% 31% 10%	720
	21st to end	Night	4 2 17% 35% 30% 13%	792
November	1st to 10th	Night	9% 3 16% 36% 25% 11%	740
	11th to 20th	Night	7% 3 20% 38% 24% 9%	760
	21st to end	Night	10% 2 22% 36% 23% 6%	760
December	1st to 10th	Night	12% 5% 23% 35% 19% 6%	760
	11th to 20th	Night	16% 5% 24% 34% 17% 4	760
	21st to end	Night	15% 6% 25% 34% 15% 4	836

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