Scripps Ranch Observatory
Clear Sky Chart
History

This sumarizes the distribution of each different forecast outcome for the Scripps Ranch Observatory clear sky chart from 2005-11-06 to 2024-01-12.

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% 4 2 4 3 2 3 4 4 7% 61%	74829
	Night	7% 7% 3 5% 4 2 3 4 4 7% 53%	74935
Transparency	Day	23% 4 7% 17% 25% 24%	74564
	Night	29% 4 7% 16% 21% 23%	74723
Seeing	Day	7% 5% 21% 39% 23% 6%	14595
	Night	9% 3 10% 32% 37% 11%	25026

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	10% 4 1 4 3 2 4 4 4 7% 56%	1708
	11th to 20th	Day	8% 5% 2 3 3 2 4 5% 5% 6% 57%	1745
	21st to end	Day	9% 5% 2 4 4 2 3 3 4 5% 58%	1980
February	1st to 10th	Day	8% 4 2 5% 4 2 3 4 3 6% 60%	1800
	11th to 20th	Day	8% 5% 2 4 4 2 4 4 5% 8% 54%	1750
	21st to end	Day	10% 4 3 5% 4 3 5% 5% 5% 7% 50%	1480
March	1st to 10th	Day	8% 5% 2 4 4 3 5% 5% 6% 11% 48%	1800
	11th to 20th	Day	8% 4 2 4 4 3 4 5% 4 8% 54%	1880
	21st to end	Day	6% 4 2 4 4 2 3 4 5% 7% 59%	2296
April	1st to 10th	Day	7% 6% 2 4 4 3 4 4 5% 8% 53%	2160
	11th to 20th	Day	5% 4 2 4 3 2 4 4 4 7% 63%	2129
	21st to end	Day	7% 5% 2 3 2 1 2 3 4 8% 62%	2160
May	1st to 10th	Day	7% 5% 2 5% 4 2 3 4 4 7% 56%	2258
	11th to 20th	Day	5% 6% 3 4 3 2 2 2 4 7% 60%	2301
	21st to end	Day	6% 6% 2 4 4 2 3 2 4 8% 58%	2530
June	1st to 10th	Day	6% 7% 2 4 3 2 3 3 3 6% 59%	2340
	11th to 20th	Day	3 5% 2 4 3 2 3 2 3 6% 69%	2340
	21st to end	Day	2 5% 2 4 3 1 3 3 3 5% 67%	2340
July	1st to 10th	Day	3 5% 3 4 3 2 4 4 4 6% 62%	2340
	11th to 20th	Day	2 4 1 4 4 1 3 4 5% 8% 64%	2340
	21st to end	Day	3 4 1 4 3 2 3 4 7% 9% 60%	2418
August	1st to 10th	Day	2 3 2 3 3 2 3 3 4 5% 71%	2149
	11th to 20th	Day	2 3 1 3 3 2 2 2 4 6% 73%	2122
	21st to end	Day	2 3 2 3 3 2 3 3 4 7% 69%	2376
September	1st to 10th	Day	3 3 1 3 3 2 3 4 4 7% 68%	2146
	11th to 20th	Day	2 4 1 3 2 1 3 2 3 6% 73%	1980
	21st to end	Day	3 3 1 3 2 2 3 2 3 5% 72%	1980
October	1st to 10th	Day	4 4 2 3 4 2 3 4 4 6% 63%	1980
	11th to 20th	Day	6% 4 2 3 3 2 3 3 3 5% 66%	1980
	21st to end	Day	4 3 2 3 2 1 2 3 3 5% 72%	1902
November	1st to 10th	Day	5% 3 2 3 3 2 3 3 4 7% 65%	1674
	11th to 20th	Day	5% 4 1 3 4 2 3 4 5% 6% 65%	1710
	21st to end	Day	6% 3 2 4 4 2 4 4 5% 7% 59%	1710
December	1st to 10th	Day	7% 4 2 3 3 3 4 4 5% 9% 56%	1710
	11th to 20th	Day	12% 5% 2 5% 5% 3 5% 5% 6% 8% 44%	2169
	21st to end	Day	10% 6% 2 5% 5% 5% 6% 6% 6% 8% 42%	3146
January	1st to 10th	Night	9% 5% 2 4 4 2 4 4 4 7% 55%	2457
	11th to 20th	Night	8% 5% 2 5% 4 2 3 4 5% 7% 56%	2251
	21st to end	Night	10% 5% 2 4 3 2 3 3 4 8% 56%	2376
February	1st to 10th	Night	8% 4 2 5% 4 2 3 3 5% 6% 60%	2160
	11th to 20th	Night	10% 7% 2 4 5% 2 4 4 3 5% 54%	2098
	21st to end	Night	11% 5% 3 5% 4 3 3 4 5% 5% 51%	1776
March	1st to 10th	Night	10% 7% 3 6% 4 3 4 5% 5% 8% 45%	2160
	11th to 20th	Night	11% 8% 3 4 4 2 4 4 5% 9% 47%	2078
	21st to end	Night	8% 7% 2 5% 3 3 5% 5% 5% 6% 51%	2055
April	1st to 10th	Night	10% 8% 3 5% 4 2 3 4 6% 9% 48%	1800
	11th to 20th	Night	9% 10% 3 5% 4 2 2 2 3 5% 53%	1779
	21st to end	Night	9% 9% 3 5% 4 2 3 3 5% 6% 51%	1800
May	1st to 10th	Night	8% 10% 5% 6% 4 2 3 4 5% 9% 45%	1702
	11th to 20th	Night	7% 15% 5% 7% 4 3 4 3 4 9% 40%	1594
	21st to end	Night	11% 13% 4 4 4 2 3 2 3 7% 45%	1746
June	1st to 10th	Night	7% 13% 5% 7% 6% 2 3 4 5% 9% 40%	1620
	11th to 20th	Night	4 10% 4 6% 5% 2 3 3 4 9% 49%	1620
	21st to end	Night	4 10% 4 6% 4 2 3 4 5% 9% 49%	1620
July	1st to 10th	Night	3 10% 4 6% 4 2 3 5% 4 9% 50%	1620
	11th to 20th	Night	2 6% 3 6% 5% 2 4 6% 5% 8% 53%	1620
	21st to end	Night	3 7% 3 7% 5% 3 4 5% 5% 10% 48%	1897
August	1st to 10th	Night	2 6% 4 5% 4 2 2 3 5% 9% 58%	1790
	11th to 20th	Night	2 8% 3 6% 4 2 3 4 4 9% 55%	1780
	21st to end	Night	3 5% 3 6% 4 2 3 2 4 8% 59%	1980
September	1st to 10th	Night	4 6% 3 5% 4 3 3 4 5% 7% 56%	1813
	11th to 20th	Night	5% 5% 2 2 3 2 3 3 3 7% 65%	1980
	21st to end	Night	4 6% 3 4 2 2 2 2 4 7% 65%	1980
October	1st to 10th	Night	4 5% 2 4 4 3 4 3 4 8% 59%	1980
	11th to 20th	Night	7% 7% 2 4 3 2 3 3 3 6% 61%	1980
	21st to end	Night	5% 6% 2 3 3 2 3 2 4 6% 64%	2446
November	1st to 10th	Night	5% 5% 3 4 3 1 3 4 3 6% 63%	2405
	11th to 20th	Night	3 5% 2 4 4 2 3 3 4 5% 65%	2470
	21st to end	Night	6% 5% 2 5% 4 2 4 4 4 8% 55%	2470
December	1st to 10th	Night	9% 5% 2 5% 4 2 3 4 5% 7% 53%	2470
	11th to 20th	Night	12% 7% 3 6% 4 2 4 4 6% 7% 45%	3041
	21st to end	Night	10% 7% 3 6% 6% 4 5% 5% 6% 7% 43%	4521

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	27% 4 7% 17% 23% 21%	1709
	11th to 20th	Day	28% 4 6% 13% 22% 26%	1745
	21st to end	Day	30% 3 8% 16% 16% 28%	1980
February	1st to 10th	Day	27% 3 5% 13% 22% 30%	1800
	11th to 20th	Day	28% 4 6% 14% 25% 22%	1760
	21st to end	Day	34% 6% 8% 12% 22% 18%	1480
March	1st to 10th	Day	31% 5% 8% 18% 17% 20%	1800
	11th to 20th	Day	28% 5% 8% 19% 24% 16%	1880
	21st to end	Day	26% 5% 9% 26% 20% 14%	2296
April	1st to 10th	Day	29% 4 10% 23% 24% 11%	2160
	11th to 20th	Day	22% 4 9% 19% 27% 19%	2132
	21st to end	Day	22% 3 7% 25% 29% 13%	2160
May	1st to 10th	Day	28% 4 8% 19% 26% 16%	2258
	11th to 20th	Day	24% 3 7% 24% 29% 12%	2304
	21st to end	Day	27% 3 8% 23% 32% 7%	2530
June	1st to 10th	Day	25% 3 7% 22% 28% 16%	2340
	11th to 20th	Day	18% 2 4 12% 32% 32%	2340
	21st to end	Day	18% 2 3 8% 28% 41%	2340
July	1st to 10th	Day	18% 3 4 11% 26% 37%	2276
	11th to 20th	Day	15% 5% 9% 25% 25% 21%	2271
	21st to end	Day	19% 5% 13% 26% 27% 10%	2284
August	1st to 10th	Day	14% 3 5% 18% 31% 30%	2135
	11th to 20th	Day	13% 2 4 20% 33% 28%	2122
	21st to end	Day	15% 3 4 15% 32% 31%	2376
September	1st to 10th	Day	16% 4 4 11% 33% 32%	2146
	11th to 20th	Day	13% 3 4 11% 33% 37%	1980
	21st to end	Day	14% 2 4 14% 33% 33%	1980
October	1st to 10th	Day	21% 3 6% 16% 23% 30%	1980
	11th to 20th	Day	21% 3 3 13% 25% 34%	1980
	21st to end	Day	17% 2 4 14% 23% 41%	1902
November	1st to 10th	Day	19% 3 6% 18% 20% 34%	1674
	11th to 20th	Day	19% 3 5% 15% 19% 38%	1710
	21st to end	Day	25% 4 7% 14% 19% 32%	1710
December	1st to 10th	Day	26% 3 8% 17% 18% 27%	1710
	11th to 20th	Day	36% 5% 10% 13% 17% 18%	2168
	21st to end	Day	38% 6% 9% 21% 15% 12%	3146
January	1st to 10th	Night	29% 3 7% 15% 22% 24%	2457
	11th to 20th	Night	28% 4 6% 12% 21% 28%	2251
	21st to end	Night	29% 3 9% 13% 14% 31%	2376
February	1st to 10th	Night	26% 3 7% 14% 21% 29%	2160
	11th to 20th	Night	33% 4 5% 13% 20% 24%	2099
	21st to end	Night	34% 4 7% 13% 23% 19%	1776
March	1st to 10th	Night	37% 5% 8% 17% 14% 20%	2160
	11th to 20th	Night	32% 5% 8% 17% 20% 17%	2078
	21st to end	Night	32% 5% 10% 20% 20% 13%	2055
April	1st to 10th	Night	33% 4 9% 23% 18% 12%	1800
	11th to 20th	Night	33% 4 7% 18% 21% 17%	1779
	21st to end	Night	34% 5% 7% 21% 21% 12%	1800
May	1st to 10th	Night	36% 5% 9% 19% 17% 15%	1702
	11th to 20th	Night	41% 5% 10% 19% 13% 13%	1595
	21st to end	Night	40% 4 7% 23% 18% 8%	1746
June	1st to 10th	Night	35% 5% 10% 18% 20% 12%	1620
	11th to 20th	Night	30% 3 4 13% 27% 23%	1620
	21st to end	Night	27% 2 3 12% 25% 30%	1620
July	1st to 10th	Night	24% 4 4 12% 27% 29%	1575
	11th to 20th	Night	22% 5% 9% 23% 25% 16%	1566
	21st to end	Night	27% 6% 11% 26% 22% 8%	1792
August	1st to 10th	Night	19% 3 7% 19% 30% 22%	1780
	11th to 20th	Night	22% 3 5% 21% 30% 20%	1780
	21st to end	Night	21% 4 5% 14% 30% 26%	1980
September	1st to 10th	Night	25% 4 5% 14% 24% 29%	1813
	11th to 20th	Night	19% 3 4 9% 32% 33%	1980
	21st to end	Night	20% 3 3 14% 35% 26%	1980
October	1st to 10th	Night	24% 4 7% 17% 20% 28%	1980
	11th to 20th	Night	25% 3 5% 15% 20% 31%	1980
	21st to end	Night	23% 3 3 11% 22% 38%	2446
November	1st to 10th	Night	22% 3 6% 17% 17% 35%	2405
	11th to 20th	Night	22% 3 5% 14% 16% 40%	2470
	21st to end	Night	29% 4 7% 16% 15% 29%	2470
December	1st to 10th	Night	29% 4 7% 16% 16% 27%	2470
	11th to 20th	Night	38% 5% 8% 13% 20% 17%	3041
	21st to end	Night	38% 7% 12% 19% 12% 13%	4521

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	16% 4 17% 38% 24% 2	270
	11th to 20th	Day	11% 6% 23% 38% 19% 4	357
	21st to end	Day	11% 8% 27% 34% 16% 4	462
February	1st to 10th	Day	10% 5% 27% 35% 18% 5%	420
	11th to 20th	Day	8% 8% 33% 34% 15% 1	415
	21st to end	Day	10% 12% 35% 30% 11% 1	346
March	1st to 10th	Day	10% 9% 35% 31% 12% 2	420
	11th to 20th	Day	12% 8% 30% 34% 14% 3	420
	21st to end	Day	6% 13% 34% 35% 11% 2	462
April	1st to 10th	Day	10% 6% 32% 33% 15% 4	420
	11th to 20th	Day	4 10% 36% 35% 10% 4	412
	21st to end	Day	7% 9% 26% 35% 17% 6%	420
May	1st to 10th	Day	10% 8% 29% 35% 14% 4	423
	11th to 20th	Day	8% 8% 26% 38% 19% 2	448
	21st to end	Day	7% 9% 27% 37% 17% 2	485
June	1st to 10th	Day	6% 3 21% 40% 26% 4	450
	11th to 20th	Day	4 2 18% 44% 24% 7%	450
	21st to end	Day	6% 2 13% 43% 30% 7%	450
July	1st to 10th	Day	6% 7% 41% 37% 9%	446
	11th to 20th	Day	3 3 40% 40% 13%	444
	21st to end	Day	4 1 3 39% 41% 12%	487
August	1st to 10th	Day	2 9% 43% 35% 11%	447
	11th to 20th	Day	4 5% 47% 33% 11%	437
	21st to end	Day	3 1 7% 44% 36% 9%	495
September	1st to 10th	Day	6% 11% 49% 28% 5%	450
	11th to 20th	Day	5% 2 17% 49% 21% 5%	450
	21st to end	Day	5% 4 20% 41% 26% 6%	450
October	1st to 10th	Day	4 6% 24% 40% 20% 5%	450
	11th to 20th	Day	6% 4 26% 38% 20% 5%	450
	21st to end	Day	4 3 20% 41% 24% 8%	412
November	1st to 10th	Day	5% 6% 17% 39% 26% 8%	270
	11th to 20th	Day	7% 3 18% 36% 32% 4	270
	21st to end	Day	6% 7% 20% 37% 23% 6%	270
December	1st to 10th	Day	9% 3 21% 37% 24% 5%	270
	11th to 20th	Day	6% 4 19% 36% 28% 7%	270
	21st to end	Day	14% 9% 20% 34% 18% 5%	297
January	1st to 10th	Night	10% 4 13% 38% 26% 9%	760
	11th to 20th	Night	9% 3 10% 40% 31% 8%	728
	21st to end	Night	11% 3 14% 41% 26% 5%	792
February	1st to 10th	Night	9% 2 10% 39% 30% 9%	720
	11th to 20th	Night	11% 4 14% 38% 26% 6%	704
	21st to end	Night	12% 5% 14% 41% 26% 3	592
March	1st to 10th	Night	12% 3 13% 42% 26% 3	720
	11th to 20th	Night	14% 4 10% 34% 30% 8%	720
	21st to end	Night	9% 4 14% 37% 31% 5%	792
April	1st to 10th	Night	12% 3 10% 40% 29% 6%	720
	11th to 20th	Night	12% 4 14% 35% 28% 7%	711
	21st to end	Night	11% 5% 11% 33% 33% 8%	720
May	1st to 10th	Night	9% 4 14% 34% 33% 6%	622
	11th to 20th	Night	12% 4 12% 30% 35% 7%	531
	21st to end	Night	14% 3 16% 27% 36% 4	584
June	1st to 10th	Night	10% 3 13% 32% 35% 7%	540
	11th to 20th	Night	6% 2 8% 31% 47% 5%	540
	21st to end	Night	7% 1 7% 27% 51% 8%	540
July	1st to 10th	Night	7% 1 5% 19% 52% 16%	525
	11th to 20th	Night	4 2 13% 60% 22%	522
	21st to end	Night	6% 1 3 13% 55% 23%	715
August	1st to 10th	Night	5% 1 3 17% 52% 22%	716
	11th to 20th	Night	6% 1 4 12% 50% 27%	712
	21st to end	Night	5% 2 10% 54% 28%	792
September	1st to 10th	Night	7% 1 4 17% 53% 18%	720
	11th to 20th	Night	7% 2 4 23% 52% 13%	720
	21st to end	Night	5% 2 7% 28% 42% 15%	720
October	1st to 10th	Night	5% 2 8% 36% 41% 8%	720
	11th to 20th	Night	9% 2 8% 33% 37% 11%	720
	21st to end	Night	6% 2 10% 31% 35% 16%	792
November	1st to 10th	Night	6% 1 8% 37% 36% 12%	740
	11th to 20th	Night	4 2 7% 38% 35% 14%	760
	21st to end	Night	7% 2 11% 40% 31% 10%	760
December	1st to 10th	Night	10% 2 11% 41% 28% 8%	760
	11th to 20th	Night	13% 4 13% 38% 25% 7%	760
	21st to end	Night	10% 4 16% 36% 25% 8%	836

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