Cordes Lakes Observatory
Clear Sky Chart
History

This sumarizes the distribution of each different forecast outcome for the Cordes Lakes Observatory clear sky chart from 2005-11-06 to 2025-05-11.

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 TypeMinimum conditions for hour to be usableOut of hours
Clear of CloudsTransparencySeeingSky Brightness
Planetary:50%(no limit)Average(no limit)Nighttime Hours
Deep Sky:70%Average(no limit)5.9Nighttime Hours
CCD Imaging:70%Below AveragePoor(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

PlanetaryData
Pts
Deep Sky
Max 60%
Data
Pts
Both Planetary and Deep Sky
Max 60%
Data
Pts
Either Planetary or Deep SkyData
Pts
CCD ImagingData
Pts
Night
71%
25510
36%
109881
29%
25259
78%
25259
44%
43537

By Month

MonthDays of MonthPlanetaryData
Pts
Deep Sky
Max 60%
Data
Pts
Both Planetary and Deep Sky
Max 60%
Data
Pts
Either Planetary or Deep SkyData
Pts
CCD ImagingData
Pts
January1st to 10thNight
61%
782
41%
5540
28%
756
75%
756
29%
1818
January11th to 20thNight
61%
778
34%
5389
31%
760
72%
760
39%
1443
January21st to endNight
53%
863
33%
5867
28%
836
67%
836
21%
2609
February1st to 10thNight
60%
800
36%
2522
29%
800
74%
800
47%
1229
February11th to 20thNight
58%
780
34%
2339
26%
780
70%
780
48%
1182
February21st to endNight
55%
660
36%
1980
28%
660
66%
660
46%
1018
March1st to 10thNight
56%
788
42%
4276
26%
764
69%
764
34%
1587
March11th to 20thNight
62%
786
25%
4504
26%
760
72%
760
25%
2219
March21st to endNight
63%
854
30%
4469
24%
836
73%
836
35%
1754
April1st to 10thNight
65%
800
33%
2200
19%
800
75%
800
59%
1066
April11th to 20thNight
59%
679
37%
2040
23%
679
72%
679
59%
895
April21st to endNight
67%
600
46%
1800
32%
600
79%
600
74%
725
May1st to 10thNight
72%
593
51%
2713
30%
589
79%
589
59%
785
May11th to 20thNight
73%
551
35%
2727
32%
543
79%
543
53%
842
May21st to endNight
77%
598
31%
3054
31%
593
83%
593
74%
711
June1st to 10thNight
83%
570
38%
1710
33%
570
85%
570
72%
692
June11th to 20thNight
83%
570
37%
1710
31%
570
85%
570
78%
659
June21st to endNight
84%
570
33%
1710
29%
570
85%
570
64%
741
July1st to 10thNight
87%
537
37%
2386
24%
535
88%
535
46%
875
July11th to 20thNight
88%
535
24%
2281
23%
533
88%
533
37%
1076
July21st to endNight
78%
602
21%
2533
20%
569
80%
569
30%
1195
August1st to 10thNight
88%
553
24%
2629
24%
545
89%
545
30%
1297
August11th to 20thNight
87%
543
26%
2356
27%
543
87%
543
40%
961
August21st to endNight
86%
723
30%
2980
28%
718
87%
718
41%
1281
September1st to 10thNight
82%
760
33%
2090
29%
760
83%
760
52%
1092
September11th to 20thNight
86%
760
41%
2090
34%
760
88%
760
69%
939
September21st to endNight
80%
760
40%
2090
31%
760
85%
760
65%
967
October1st to 10thNight
74%
740
53%
3115
29%
740
80%
740
54%
1069
October11th to 20thNight
80%
745
33%
3317
38%
740
85%
740
60%
1071
October21st to endNight
76%
820
47%
3760
35%
813
85%
813
59%
1162
November1st to 10thNight
76%
780
43%
2345
35%
780
84%
780
62%
1040
November11th to 20thNight
75%
800
39%
2600
36%
800
83%
800
62%
1071
November21st to endNight
65%
800
38%
2600
32%
800
76%
800
50%
1196
December1st to 10thNight
67%
783
48%
3868
34%
780
74%
780
46%
1232
December11th to 20thNight
61%
785
24%
4385
29%
778
71%
778
30%
1747
December21st to endNight
54%
862
33%
5906
28%
839
66%
839
23%
2291

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 ForecastData
Points
Cloud CoverDay
331333335%6%68%
118567
Night
3313233346%70%
119326
TransparencyDay
16%46%15%28%30%
118334
Night
16%46%15%29%31%
119149
SeeingDay
5%10%24%33%22%8%
15643
Night
4316%40%31%5%
25871

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
MonthDays in MonthOccurrence of each ForecastData
Points
January1st to 10thDay
2314223245%70%
4098
11th to 20thDay
231222323475%
4100
21st to endDay
7%5%1432335%7%59%
4510
February1st to 10thDay
341433335%5%65%
1875
11th to 20thDay
5%42443345%6%60%
1950
21st to endDay
331443425%7%63%
1650
March1st to 10thDay
441433325%6%66%
4945
11th to 20thDay
5%6%25%445%45%7%54%
5000
21st to endDay
232433335%6%65%
5486
April1st to 10thDay
211323335%7%69%
2200
11th to 20thDay
1212223246%75%
2300
21st to endDay
212222246%75%
2600
May1st to 10thDay
11111213484%
4240
11th to 20thDay
221222335%6%70%
4073
21st to endDay
11111112387%
4477
June1st to 10thDay
111122235%81%
2470
11th to 20thDay
11111112388%
2470
21st to endDay
121222234476%
2470
July1st to 10thDay
1212333346%74%
4110
11th to 20thDay
221445%7%6%9%11%48%
4110
21st to endDay
22245%5%6%6%9%10%49%
4454
August1st to 10thDay
2315%446%6%9%11%48%
4092
11th to 20thDay
221233448%10%61%
4028
21st to endDay
221334446%7%64%
4147
September1st to 10thDay
331333446%7%62%
2090
11th to 20thDay
311112223479%
2090
21st to endDay
311322224476%
2090
October1st to 10thDay
1212222245%78%
3436
11th to 20thDay
11211123483%
3150
21st to endDay
111212224481%
3438
November1st to 10thDay
122233346%74%
1949
11th to 20thDay
121222325%5%76%
1800
21st to endDay
5%313223346%68%
1800
December1st to 10thDay
331222223475%
2950
11th to 20thDay
331433347%9%59%
3409
21st to endDay
6%425%32335%7%61%
4510
January1st to 10thNight
3323233346%68%
5867
11th to 20thNight
2212222235%77%
5880
21st to endNight
8%6%24323346%58%
6468
February1st to 10thNight
441423325%5%67%
2522
11th to 20thNight
5%413333347%64%
2338
21st to endNight
6%41323335%6%62%
1980
March1st to 10thNight
3413233246%69%
4947
11th to 20thNight
5%6%26%344446%55%
5000
21st to endNight
321323345%7%67%
5489
April1st to 10thNight
321322335%6%72%
2200
11th to 20thNight
1213222335%76%
2040
21st to endNight
1111212235%82%
1800
May1st to 10thNight
11112223483%
2950
11th to 20thNight
121322224477%
2838
21st to endNight
111111390%
3110
June1st to 10thNight
1112212235%81%
1710
11th to 20thNight
11111123386%
1710
21st to endNight
211332223477%
1710
July1st to 10thNight
113333346%72%
2860
11th to 20thNight
1113345%6%10%12%54%
2860
21st to endNight
2314445%5%8%12%52%
3109
August1st to 10thNight
1214446%6%11%15%43%
2847
11th to 20thNight
11132345%7%9%65%
2811
21st to endNight
1213345%45%9%64%
3506
September1st to 10thNight
231433437%9%62%
2090
11th to 20thNight
221222224478%
2090
21st to endNight
221222224477%
2090
October1st to 10thNight
2212222235%78%
3542
11th to 20thNight
1212111135%81%
3778
21st to endNight
1111122235%80%
4120
November1st to 10thNight
2213222245%74%
2345
11th to 20thNight
221212233478%
2600
21st to endNight
5%213233246%69%
2600
December1st to 10thNight
3212112247%74%
4240
11th to 20thNight
431334435%6%65%
4811
21st to endNight
5%41333334466%
6468

Transparency (when cloud cover <= 30%)
Color Meanings:
Too cloudy to forecast Poor Below Average Average Above average Transparent
MonthDays in MonthOccurrence of each ForecastData
Points
January1st to 10thDay
19%3415%41%19%
4099
11th to 20thDay
16%3319%21%37%
4100
21st to endDay
25%5%5%11%30%25%
4510
February1st to 10thDay
22%45%15%27%27%
1875
11th to 20thDay
25%45%18%27%22%
1960
21st to endDay
23%46%17%27%25%
1650
March1st to 10thDay
19%45%21%29%22%
4945
11th to 20thDay
26%7%8%20%23%16%
5000
21st to endDay
18%5%7%20%35%15%
5486
April1st to 10thDay
15%45%15%34%27%
2200
11th to 20thDay
12%3412%32%37%
2303
21st to endDay
11%3413%33%35%
2600
May1st to 10thDay
8%2311%35%40%
4240
11th to 20thDay
11%46%11%32%36%
4076
21st to endDay
5%227%22%62%
4477
June1st to 10thDay
8%227%33%47%
2470
11th to 20thDay
5%115%19%68%
2470
21st to endDay
11%347%21%53%
2470
July1st to 10thDay
11%45%10%14%56%
4046
11th to 20thDay
23%10%10%21%26%10%
4041
21st to endDay
24%9%15%17%25%10%
4314
August1st to 10thDay
25%8%15%26%12%14%
4078
11th to 20thDay
16%7%10%21%26%20%
4067
21st to endDay
18%6%8%19%27%23%
4146
September1st to 10thDay
19%6%9%14%24%28%
2090
11th to 20thDay
10%35%11%33%38%
2090
21st to endDay
12%35%10%29%41%
2090
October1st to 10thDay
10%3410%17%56%
3436
11th to 20thDay
8%128%44%36%
3150
21st to endDay
9%139%30%47%
3438
November1st to 10thDay
14%3418%33%29%
1949
11th to 20thDay
13%3415%29%37%
1800
21st to endDay
20%35%15%30%27%
1800
December1st to 10thDay
15%3414%37%27%
2950
11th to 20thDay
22%36%16%34%18%
3408
21st to endDay
24%5%6%24%31%10%
4510
January1st to 10thNight
18%4415%42%18%
5867
11th to 20thNight
12%3421%30%30%
5880
21st to endNight
26%5%49%29%27%
6468
February1st to 10thNight
21%45%14%27%28%
2522
11th to 20thNight
22%35%19%28%22%
2339
21st to endNight
23%45%14%29%27%
1980
March1st to 10thNight
16%46%20%30%24%
4947
11th to 20thNight
27%6%7%17%25%18%
5000
21st to endNight
15%6%7%20%37%15%
5489
April1st to 10thNight
15%45%13%33%29%
2200
11th to 20thNight
13%2310%32%39%
2040
21st to endNight
8%2412%36%37%
1800
May1st to 10thNight
8%2310%28%48%
2950
11th to 20thNight
9%449%27%47%
2839
21st to endNight
4115%22%66%
3110
June1st to 10thNight
9%226%24%57%
1710
11th to 20thNight
7%22416%70%
1710
21st to endNight
13%227%17%58%
1710
July1st to 10thNight
13%46%9%13%56%
2815
11th to 20thNight
18%6%11%24%28%13%
2806
21st to endNight
21%7%17%19%21%15%
3011
August1st to 10thNight
23%8%17%25%11%16%
2838
11th to 20thNight
14%7%12%19%27%21%
2838
21st to endNight
17%48%16%26%28%
3506
September1st to 10thNight
19%6%11%18%20%27%
2090
11th to 20thNight
11%35%11%29%41%
2090
21st to endNight
12%439%28%44%
2090
October1st to 10thNight
11%249%19%54%
3542
11th to 20thNight
10%139%35%42%
3778
21st to endNight
9%238%28%50%
4120
November1st to 10thNight
14%2415%34%31%
2345
11th to 20thNight
12%3414%29%38%
2600
21st to endNight
19%35%13%29%31%
2600
December1st to 10thNight
13%35%16%36%28%
4240
11th to 20thNight
22%3413%37%21%
4811
21st to endNight
21%5%6%24%32%12%
6468

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
MonthDays in MonthOccurrence of each ForecastData
Points
January1st to 10thDay
12%9%26%34%18%1
300
11th to 20thDay
12%7%23%39%15%4
300
21st to endDay
8%10%30%29%18%5%
330
February1st to 10thDay
5%15%30%31%16%3
375
11th to 20thDay
8%17%35%27%12%1
495
21st to endDay
8%23%33%26%8%1
414
March1st to 10thDay
9%22%29%27%11%2
500
11th to 20thDay
7%18%28%28%14%4
500
21st to endDay
7%21%34%24%12%2
550
April1st to 10thDay
6%14%34%25%16%6%
500
11th to 20thDay
6%19%36%24%12%4
492
21st to endDay
418%34%25%14%5%
500
May1st to 10thDay
314%32%29%17%3
503
11th to 20thDay
313%31%29%17%7%
489
21st to endDay
5%13%31%30%17%4
529
June1st to 10thDay
17%25%39%21%6%
490
11th to 20thDay
28%30%34%19%7%
490
21st to endDay
2323%42%22%8%
490
July1st to 10thDay
1215%42%29%12%
486
11th to 20thDay
417%40%30%19%
484
21st to endDay
5%15%32%35%22%
531
August1st to 10thDay
2111%38%32%16%
487
11th to 20thDay
319%39%30%17%
477
21st to endDay
317%33%36%20%
539
September1st to 10thDay
4313%33%33%13%
490
11th to 20thDay
3421%38%28%6%
490
21st to endDay
46%17%37%25%10%
490
October1st to 10thDay
39%25%27%27%9%
462
11th to 20thDay
35%21%32%30%9%
300
21st to endDay
5%8%16%32%29%10%
330
November1st to 10thDay
48%19%41%24%5%
300
11th to 20thDay
37%20%37%26%7%
300
21st to endDay
8%10%24%33%21%5%
300
December1st to 10thDay
9%8%21%36%24%2
300
11th to 20thDay
37%26%40%21%3
300
21st to endDay
14%12%24%30%18%2
330
January1st to 10thNight
6%5%23%44%18%4
800
11th to 20thNight
7%423%43%21%2
800
21st to endNight
10%6%25%39%19%2
880
February1st to 10thNight
6%5%24%43%20%2
800
11th to 20thNight
6%5%26%46%16%1
784
21st to endNight
9%7%27%40%14%2
660
March1st to 10thNight
6%7%28%44%15%1
800
11th to 20thNight
8%5%20%40%24%4
800
21st to endNight
46%23%45%21%2
880
April1st to 10thNight
3423%46%21%3
800
11th to 20thNight
28%26%41%22%2
679
21st to endNight
1426%43%24%3
600
May1st to 10thNight
2417%52%23%3
600
11th to 20thNight
2417%44%31%3
563
21st to endNight
2215%47%30%3
617
June1st to 10thNight
2211%47%36%2
570
11th to 20thNight
1113%48%33%4
570
21st to endNight
216%38%48%5%
570
July1st to 10thNight
2335%53%6%
555
11th to 20thNight
1218%65%14%
552
21st to endNight
31220%60%14%
624
August1st to 10thNight
11122%60%14%
567
11th to 20thNight
11323%62%11%
564
21st to endNight
21222%57%15%
740
September1st to 10thNight
325%28%51%11%
760
11th to 20thNight
217%40%45%5%
760
21st to endNight
2212%38%41%6%
760
October1st to 10thNight
4313%43%36%1
760
11th to 20thNight
2212%49%31%4
760
21st to endNight
3315%39%32%8%
836
November1st to 10thNight
3314%47%28%5%
780
11th to 20thNight
2318%47%27%4
800
21st to endNight
6%421%41%25%3
800
December1st to 10thNight
7%5%16%43%27%1
800
11th to 20thNight
10%319%46%20%2
800
21st to endNight
10%325%43%16%3
880
Page generated at 2025-05-08 06:33:57. Version ac07

Copyright © 2025 Attilla Danko.


Cordes Lakes Observatory Clear Sky Chart |Charts Home