White Sands National Park
Clear Sky Chart
History

This sumarizes the distribution of each different forecast outcome for the White Sands National Park clear sky chart from 2005-11-06 to 2025-04-26.

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	3 2 1 3 2 3 3 3 5% 7% 68%	117244
	Night	4 3 1 3 3 3 3 3 5% 7% 65%	120234
Transparency	Day	15% 4 7% 16% 29% 29%	117007
	Night	18% 4 7% 14% 28% 29%	120061
Seeing	Day	4 6% 17% 29% 29% 15%	15022
	Night	5% 3 21% 45% 25% 2	25541

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	4 7% 2 5% 3 3 3 3 4 5% 62%	4098
	11th to 20th	Day	2 1 1 2 1 1 2 2 3 6% 79%	4100
	21st to end	Day	5% 3 1 3 2 2 3 3 5% 6% 66%	4510
February	1st to 10th	Day	3 3 1 3 2 3 2 3 4 6% 70%	1909
	11th to 20th	Day	5% 4 1 3 3 3 3 3 4 4 67%	1949
	21st to end	Day	3 2 1 3 3 3 3 3 3 4 73%	1650
March	1st to 10th	Day	2 3 1 3 3 2 3 2 4 6% 71%	4862
	11th to 20th	Day	3 4 2 4 3 2 4 3 5% 5% 66%	5000
	21st to end	Day	2 4 1 4 3 3 4 3 5% 7% 64%	5613
April	1st to 10th	Day	2 2 1 2 3 2 3 3 5% 6% 72%	2400
	11th to 20th	Day	2 2 1 2 2 2 2 2 3 4 77%	2371
	21st to end	Day	2 2 1 1 2 2 2 2 3 5% 79%	2341
May	1st to 10th	Day	1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 3 84%	3800
	11th to 20th	Day	1 1 1 2 2 2 3 3 5% 6% 74%	3765
	21st to end	Day	1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 3 88%	4351
June	1st to 10th	Day	2 2 1 2 2 3 3 2 5% 7% 69%	2570
	11th to 20th	Day	2 1 1 2 2 2 3 2 4 5% 77%	2611
	21st to end	Day	4 3 1 4 4 4 4 4 7% 8% 59%	2470
July	1st to 10th	Day	3 3 1 4 4 4 5% 6% 8% 10% 52%	4110
	11th to 20th	Day	2 1 1 3 3 4 4 4 7% 11% 61%	4110
	21st to end	Day	4 3 1 4 4 4 6% 5% 9% 13% 46%	4454
August	1st to 10th	Day	2 2 1 3 3 4 5% 5% 8% 12% 53%	3829
	11th to 20th	Day	3 2 1 3 3 3 3 4 6% 9% 64%	3726
	21st to end	Day	2 2 1 4 4 5% 6% 6% 8% 11% 52%	4180
September	1st to 10th	Day	6% 4 2 4 4 4 5% 4 5% 7% 56%	2280
	11th to 20th	Day	6% 2 1 3 3 3 4 4 4 7% 63%	2280
	21st to end	Day	3 2 1 2 2 3 2 1 3 7% 73%	2072
October	1st to 10th	Day	2 2 3 2 2 2 2 3 5% 78%	3170
	11th to 20th	Day	3 2 1 2 2 3 3 2 4 5% 75%	3150
	21st to end	Day	1 1 2 1 1 1 1 2 3 87%	3438
November	1st to 10th	Day	2 2 1 3 2 3 2 2 4 5% 76%	1959
	11th to 20th	Day	2 2 1 2 2 3 3 2 5% 5% 74%	1910
	21st to end	Day	6% 3 1 3 2 3 3 4 5% 6% 63%	1800
December	1st to 10th	Day	5% 4 1 4 3 2 3 2 4 7% 66%	2919
	11th to 20th	Day	3 3 1 4 4 3 3 2 3 7% 68%	3026
	21st to end	Day	3 2 1 2 2 3 3 3 4 7% 70%	4461
January	1st to 10th	Night	5% 6% 2 4 3 3 3 3 5% 5% 59%	5867
	11th to 20th	Night	2 2 1 2 1 1 2 2 4 6% 75%	5880
	21st to end	Night	6% 4 1 3 3 3 3 3 5% 7% 62%	6468
February	1st to 10th	Night	4 3 1 2 2 3 3 3 5% 6% 68%	2488
	11th to 20th	Night	8% 4 1 3 3 2 3 2 4 6% 63%	2338
	21st to end	Night	4 3 1 3 3 3 3 3 5% 7% 65%	1980
March	1st to 10th	Night	4 4 1 2 2 2 3 2 3 6% 70%	5024
	11th to 20th	Night	6% 4 2 4 3 3 3 3 4 6% 65%	5000
	21st to end	Night	3 5% 2 4 3 3 3 3 4 6% 64%	5353
April	1st to 10th	Night	2 3 1 2 3 3 3 3 5% 6% 69%	2000
	11th to 20th	Night	4 3 2 3 3 3 3 2 4 5% 69%	1977
	21st to end	Night	3 2 1 3 1 2 2 3 5% 5% 73%	1955
May	1st to 10th	Night	2 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 4 82%	3170
	11th to 20th	Night	2 2 1 3 3 3 4 3 5% 7% 69%	3140
	21st to end	Night	1 1 2 1 2 1 2 2 3 83%	3218
June	1st to 10th	Night	3 2 1 3 4 5% 4 4 7% 6% 61%	1594
	11th to 20th	Night	3 1 2 2 2 3 3 5% 6% 71%	1552
	21st to end	Night	4 3 1 4 5% 5% 4 5% 9% 9% 50%	1710
July	1st to 10th	Night	2 3 2 5% 5% 6% 7% 6% 8% 10% 46%	2860
	11th to 20th	Night	2 2 1 5% 5% 5% 6% 5% 7% 11% 51%	2860
	21st to end	Night	4 5% 2 6% 6% 6% 8% 7% 9% 11% 35%	3109
August	1st to 10th	Night	3 2 1 4 4 5% 6% 6% 9% 15% 44%	3094
	11th to 20th	Night	3 2 1 4 3 4 5% 5% 8% 11% 55%	3113
	21st to end	Night	4 4 2 7% 5% 6% 7% 6% 9% 11% 38%	3487
September	1st to 10th	Night	5% 3 2 5% 4 4 5% 5% 6% 9% 52%	1900
	11th to 20th	Night	7% 4 1 4 3 4 3 3 5% 8% 57%	1900
	21st to end	Night	4 2 1 3 2 3 4 3 4 6% 68%	2104
October	1st to 10th	Night	3 2 1 3 2 2 2 2 4 5% 75%	3800
	11th to 20th	Night	5% 3 2 3 3 2 2 2 3 4 70%	3778
	21st to end	Night	3 1 1 1 1 2 2 1 3 4 81%	4120
November	1st to 10th	Night	3 2 1 2 1 2 3 2 4 7% 75%	2340
	11th to 20th	Night	2 2 1 2 1 3 3 2 4 6% 73%	2465
	21st to end	Night	6% 3 2 4 3 3 3 3 4 6% 64%	2600
December	1st to 10th	Night	5% 3 1 3 2 2 3 2 4 6% 69%	4267
	11th to 20th	Night	3 2 1 4 2 3 3 3 5% 7% 68%	5181
	21st to end	Night	4 2 1 2 2 2 3 3 4 7% 69%	6542

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% 3 6% 12% 41% 15%	4099
	11th to 20th	Day	9% 2 4 16% 47% 21%	4100
	21st to end	Day	16% 4 6% 19% 30% 24%	4510
February	1st to 10th	Day	16% 3 5% 17% 29% 30%	1909
	11th to 20th	Day	21% 3 5% 16% 31% 24%	1959
	21st to end	Day	16% 3 4 7% 31% 39%	1650
March	1st to 10th	Day	14% 2 4 8% 30% 42%	4862
	11th to 20th	Day	18% 4 6% 13% 27% 33%	5000
	21st to end	Day	16% 4 7% 11% 29% 33%	5613
April	1st to 10th	Day	12% 2 5% 11% 31% 39%	2400
	11th to 20th	Day	12% 2 4 9% 25% 49%	2374
	21st to end	Day	9% 2 4 11% 29% 45%	2341
May	1st to 10th	Day	7% 2 2 6% 19% 64%	3800
	11th to 20th	Day	9% 5% 7% 12% 24% 43%	3768
	21st to end	Day	5% 1 3 7% 15% 69%	4351
June	1st to 10th	Day	13% 4 8% 14% 25% 36%	2570
	11th to 20th	Day	9% 3 5% 8% 23% 52%	2611
	21st to end	Day	20% 6% 10% 15% 22% 27%	2470
July	1st to 10th	Day	22% 7% 15% 19% 18% 20%	4046
	11th to 20th	Day	15% 7% 14% 28% 30% 7%	4041
	21st to end	Day	23% 9% 16% 29% 19% 3	4314
August	1st to 10th	Day	19% 7% 11% 31% 27% 5%	3815
	11th to 20th	Day	16% 6% 12% 18% 37% 11%	3762
	21st to end	Day	21% 8% 16% 26% 23% 6%	4179
September	1st to 10th	Day	24% 7% 10% 20% 22% 16%	2280
	11th to 20th	Day	20% 6% 8% 18% 27% 21%	2280
	21st to end	Day	13% 3 7% 18% 33% 25%	2072
October	1st to 10th	Day	11% 3 5% 8% 28% 44%	3170
	11th to 20th	Day	14% 3 6% 12% 30% 35%	3150
	21st to end	Day	6% 1 2 12% 35% 43%	3438
November	1st to 10th	Day	12% 2 6% 19% 34% 28%	1959
	11th to 20th	Day	12% 3 6% 18% 30% 30%	1910
	21st to end	Day	19% 4 7% 15% 34% 20%	1800
December	1st to 10th	Day	20% 3 5% 23% 33% 17%	2919
	11th to 20th	Day	19% 3 6% 15% 41% 16%	3024
	21st to end	Day	13% 3 6% 21% 40% 17%	4461
January	1st to 10th	Night	23% 4 5% 12% 40% 15%	5867
	11th to 20th	Night	10% 2 6% 14% 46% 22%	5880
	21st to end	Night	20% 4 6% 15% 30% 25%	6468
February	1st to 10th	Night	16% 3 7% 16% 25% 33%	2488
	11th to 20th	Night	22% 4 6% 12% 29% 28%	2338
	21st to end	Night	16% 3 6% 9% 27% 38%	1980
March	1st to 10th	Night	15% 3 5% 7% 31% 40%	5024
	11th to 20th	Night	18% 5% 7% 11% 28% 31%	5000
	21st to end	Night	18% 4 6% 10% 28% 34%	5353
April	1st to 10th	Night	14% 3 6% 9% 30% 37%	2000
	11th to 20th	Night	17% 3 6% 10% 21% 43%	1977
	21st to end	Night	11% 3 5% 12% 25% 44%	1955
May	1st to 10th	Night	8% 2 3 6% 16% 65%	3170
	11th to 20th	Night	11% 6% 9% 11% 20% 43%	3141
	21st to end	Night	9% 2 3 6% 13% 67%	3219
June	1st to 10th	Night	19% 7% 8% 15% 18% 35%	1594
	11th to 20th	Night	12% 3 6% 11% 16% 51%	1552
	21st to end	Night	24% 7% 12% 17% 17% 22%	1710
July	1st to 10th	Night	28% 9% 14% 18% 15% 15%	2815
	11th to 20th	Night	23% 6% 13% 20% 29% 9%	2806
	21st to end	Night	34% 10% 16% 26% 11% 3	3011
August	1st to 10th	Night	23% 8% 13% 27% 24% 6%	3085
	11th to 20th	Night	19% 6% 12% 18% 32% 13%	3143
	21st to end	Night	33% 8% 14% 21% 18% 5%	3487
September	1st to 10th	Night	26% 7% 13% 15% 21% 18%	1900
	11th to 20th	Night	24% 5% 10% 17% 21% 22%	1900
	21st to end	Night	17% 4 9% 15% 29% 26%	2104
October	1st to 10th	Night	12% 4 6% 8% 24% 47%	3800
	11th to 20th	Night	19% 3 5% 9% 21% 42%	3778
	21st to end	Night	10% 1 3 11% 30% 45%	4120
November	1st to 10th	Night	12% 3 4 15% 33% 33%	2340
	11th to 20th	Night	12% 3 5% 16% 31% 33%	2465
	21st to end	Night	20% 4 6% 16% 32% 23%	2600
December	1st to 10th	Night	17% 3 6% 22% 32% 19%	4267
	11th to 20th	Night	16% 3 6% 13% 38% 23%	5182
	21st to end	Night	15% 2 5% 19% 43% 16%	6542

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	7% 6% 19% 40% 23% 5%	300
	11th to 20th	Day	5% 4 19% 43% 23% 7%	300
	21st to end	Day	4 3 25% 36% 27% 6%	330
February	1st to 10th	Day	4 7% 23% 35% 22% 9%	300
	11th to 20th	Day	11% 7% 22% 41% 16% 2	300
	21st to end	Day	4 11% 26% 41% 13% 4	249
March	1st to 10th	Day	5% 13% 31% 36% 13% 2	456
	11th to 20th	Day	7% 14% 26% 31% 17% 4	500
	21st to end	Day	4 18% 30% 31% 14% 3	550
April	1st to 10th	Day	4 13% 28% 34% 18% 3	500
	11th to 20th	Day	3 17% 32% 31% 15% 2	492
	21st to end	Day	3 12% 34% 29% 17% 4	481
May	1st to 10th	Day	2 9% 33% 30% 20% 5%	463
	11th to 20th	Day	1 7% 24% 36% 24% 8%	488
	21st to end	Day	2 6% 29% 37% 23% 3	529
June	1st to 10th	Day	3 3 14% 34% 36% 11%	590
	11th to 20th	Day	3 2 13% 35% 38% 9%	631
	21st to end	Day	3 1 8% 31% 34% 23%	490
July	1st to 10th	Day	3 1 5% 19% 44% 29%	486
	11th to 20th	Day	2 2 16% 39% 41%	484
	21st to end	Day	3 2 18% 34% 43%	531
August	1st to 10th	Day	2 1 16% 35% 45%	487
	11th to 20th	Day	5% 1 5% 15% 41% 33%	477
	21st to end	Day	3 1 3 15% 38% 40%	539
September	1st to 10th	Day	6% 6% 22% 39% 27%	490
	11th to 20th	Day	5% 6% 23% 44% 21%	490
	21st to end	Day	3 3 8% 24% 38% 24%	329
October	1st to 10th	Day	5% 3 11% 24% 32% 25%	300
	11th to 20th	Day	6% 3 11% 26% 32% 21%	300
	21st to end	Day	4 5% 16% 23% 32% 19%	330
November	1st to 10th	Day	4 5% 19% 30% 31% 11%	300
	11th to 20th	Day	1 3 16% 27% 41% 12%	300
	21st to end	Day	6% 5% 23% 34% 25% 7%	300
December	1st to 10th	Day	8% 4 13% 37% 30% 7%	300
	11th to 20th	Day	5% 5% 18% 41% 26% 6%	300
	21st to end	Day	7% 5% 23% 42% 18% 5%	330
January	1st to 10th	Night	6% 3 22% 50% 18% 1	800
	11th to 20th	Night	5% 4 27% 46% 18% 1	800
	21st to end	Night	6% 3 27% 45% 18% 1	880
February	1st to 10th	Night	5% 3 30% 44% 18% 1	800
	11th to 20th	Night	8% 5% 30% 47% 10%	784
	21st to end	Night	4 6% 43% 41% 7%	660
March	1st to 10th	Night	7% 6% 34% 44% 10%	800
	11th to 20th	Night	5% 7% 31% 43% 14% 1	800
	21st to end	Night	4 4 35% 45% 11%	821
April	1st to 10th	Night	2 5% 41% 43% 10%	600
	11th to 20th	Night	5% 7% 39% 40% 9%	593
	21st to end	Night	3 6% 36% 45% 9%	587
May	1st to 10th	Night	4 2 34% 50% 9%	570
	11th to 20th	Night	3 2 23% 56% 16%	561
	21st to end	Night	2 3 28% 54% 13%	617
June	1st to 10th	Night	3 2 18% 54% 23% 1	570
	11th to 20th	Night	2 1 16% 57% 22% 1	570
	21st to end	Night	3 1 9% 50% 34% 2	570
July	1st to 10th	Night	5% 6% 41% 44% 4	555
	11th to 20th	Night	3 5% 33% 54% 6%	552
	21st to end	Night	4 1 3 32% 54% 6%	624
August	1st to 10th	Night	4 1 3 26% 58% 8%	567
	11th to 20th	Night	4 1 3 30% 54% 8%	564
	21st to end	Night	4 5% 32% 53% 5%	627
September	1st to 10th	Night	4 5% 39% 47% 4	570
	11th to 20th	Night	7% 1 5% 44% 41% 1	570
	21st to end	Night	4 1 10% 51% 31% 3	613
October	1st to 10th	Night	4 2 13% 47% 33% 1	760
	11th to 20th	Night	4 2 17% 49% 26% 2	760
	21st to end	Night	4 2 18% 40% 31% 5%	836
November	1st to 10th	Night	3 1 18% 46% 30% 2	780
	11th to 20th	Night	3 1 19% 47% 27% 2	865
	21st to end	Night	6% 4 22% 42% 24% 2	1000
December	1st to 10th	Night	8% 4 19% 48% 21% 1	1000
	11th to 20th	Night	5% 3 24% 48% 19%	1000
	21st to end	Night	4 4 26% 49% 16% 1	915

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