Erickson Observatory Site
Clear Sky Chart
History

This sumarizes the distribution of each different forecast outcome for the Erickson Observatory Site clear sky chart from 2005-11-06 to 2024-11-10.

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 3 1 3 2 2 3 3 4 6% 70%	105043
	Night	2 4 1 3 3 3 3 3 4 6% 68%	102917
Transparency	Day	15% 5% 4 13% 27% 36%	104811
	Night	15% 8% 3 12% 26% 36%	102740
Seeing	Day	7% 12% 29% 31% 15% 5%	15685
	Night	5% 6% 17% 34% 30% 7%	26023

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 6% 2 4 3 2 2 2 3 6% 65%	2858
	11th to 20th	Day	4 5% 2 4 3 3 4 4 6% 8% 57%	2957
	21st to end	Day	9% 8% 2 4 4 4 4 4 5% 7% 49%	3498
February	1st to 10th	Day	6% 7% 2 4 4 3 4 2 4 4 59%	1900
	11th to 20th	Day	4 6% 2 5% 3 3 3 4 6% 7% 57%	1850
	21st to end	Day	5% 9% 3 6% 4 3 4 3 4 6% 51%	1570
March	1st to 10th	Day	3 7% 2 4 4 4 4 4 6% 10% 51%	3138
	11th to 20th	Day	4 6% 2 5% 4 4 4 3 5% 8% 56%	3362
	21st to end	Day	5% 7% 2 3 3 3 3 3 5% 6% 59%	3966
April	1st to 10th	Day	5% 5% 2 3 4 4 3 3 5% 6% 60%	2280
	11th to 20th	Day	2 3 1 2 3 2 4 3 4 6% 71%	2249
	21st to end	Day	2 3 1 3 3 2 2 3 4 7% 71%	2280
May	1st to 10th	Day	1 2 1 3 1 2 2 2 2 4 80%	4065
	11th to 20th	Day	1 1 1 1 1 1 1 3 5% 84%	4071
	21st to end	Day	1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 3 4 83%	4477
June	1st to 10th	Day	2 2 1 1 2 2 2 2 3 6% 78%	2470
	11th to 20th	Day	1 1 1 2 1 2 4 86%	2470
	21st to end	Day	1 1 2 2 2 2 1 2 3 83%	2470
July	1st to 10th	Day	1 1 2 1 1 1 2 2 3 86%	4110
	11th to 20th	Day	1 1 1 2 2 2 3 2 5% 8% 72%	4110
	21st to end	Day	1 2 1 1 2 2 4 3 5% 6% 72%	4351
August	1st to 10th	Day	2 1 1 2 2 3 3 3 5% 7% 72%	3783
	11th to 20th	Day	1 1 2 2 2 2 2 3 4 81%	3724
	21st to end	Day	1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 3 4 83%	4180
September	1st to 10th	Day	2 2 1 2 2 3 4 2 4 5% 72%	2242
	11th to 20th	Day	1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 3 87%	2090
	21st to end	Day	1 1 2 1 2 3 2 3 4 80%	2090
October	1st to 10th	Day	1 2 1 3 2 2 3 3 4 5% 74%	3490
	11th to 20th	Day	1 1 2 1 2 2 1 3 4 84%	3469
	21st to end	Day	1 1 1 2 2 3 3 3 4 7% 74%	3273
November	1st to 10th	Day	2 4 2 2 3 2 2 2 4 5% 72%	1755
	11th to 20th	Day	3 3 1 3 3 3 3 3 4 6% 69%	1710
	21st to end	Day	5% 5% 1 4 3 3 4 3 5% 6% 61%	1710
December	1st to 10th	Day	5% 6% 1 4 4 3 4 3 6% 7% 55%	1710
	11th to 20th	Day	8% 7% 2 5% 4 5% 6% 3 7% 8% 45%	2169
	21st to end	Day	5% 6% 3 7% 5% 7% 6% 5% 5% 5% 46%	3146
January	1st to 10th	Night	3 5% 2 4 3 4 3 3 4 6% 63%	4097
	11th to 20th	Night	3 6% 2 4 3 3 4 4 6% 10% 55%	4013
	21st to end	Night	9% 10% 2 5% 4 3 4 4 5% 6% 48%	4180
February	1st to 10th	Night	4 10% 2 4 3 2 4 4 5% 5% 56%	2280
	11th to 20th	Night	3 8% 2 5% 4 4 4 3 4 4 59%	2218
	21st to end	Night	4 10% 2 7% 4 4 5% 4 4 7% 50%	1884
March	1st to 10th	Night	3 15% 4 7% 4 4 5% 4 6% 9% 41%	3736
	11th to 20th	Night	3 6% 3 5% 4 4 4 4 5% 7% 54%	3616
	21st to end	Night	2 11% 3 5% 4 4 5% 4 6% 8% 48%	3683
April	1st to 10th	Night	4 6% 2 3 3 4 4 4 6% 8% 56%	1900
	11th to 20th	Night	2 5% 1 4 3 3 3 2 5% 7% 66%	1879
	21st to end	Night	1 3 1 3 3 4 4 3 5% 7% 66%	1900
May	1st to 10th	Night	2 1 2 2 2 2 2 3 7% 76%	2906
	11th to 20th	Night	1 1 2 1 2 2 2 4 6% 80%	2834
	21st to end	Night	1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 3 7% 81%	3110
June	1st to 10th	Night	2 2 1 2 1 1 4 7% 79%	1710
	11th to 20th	Night	1 1 2 2 1 2 3 86%	1710
	21st to end	Night	2 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 2 3 85%	1710
July	1st to 10th	Night	1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 90%	2860
	11th to 20th	Night	1 1 2 1 2 2 4 4 83%	2860
	21st to end	Night	1 1 2 2 2 2 2 3 5% 80%	3197
August	1st to 10th	Night	1 1 1 2 1 2 2 3 6% 82%	3166
	11th to 20th	Night	1 1 1 1 1 2 2 3 5% 84%	3126
	21st to end	Night	1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 89%	3498
September	1st to 10th	Night	1 2 2 1 2 2 2 4 4 81%	1936
	11th to 20th	Night	1 1 2 2 1 1 2 2 3 85%	2090
	21st to end	Night	1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 3 3 84%	2090
October	1st to 10th	Night	1 1 1 2 1 2 2 2 3 4 81%	3490
	11th to 20th	Night	1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 4 5% 81%	3469
	21st to end	Night	1 1 1 3 2 2 2 2 5% 5% 75%	4269
November	1st to 10th	Night	2 4 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 5% 70%	2528
	11th to 20th	Night	3 3 1 4 3 3 3 3 4 5% 68%	2470
	21st to end	Night	3 6% 3 6% 4 4 4 3 6% 6% 56%	2470
December	1st to 10th	Night	5% 7% 2 5% 4 4 4 4 5% 7% 54%	2470
	11th to 20th	Night	5% 8% 3 6% 4 5% 4 4 7% 9% 45%	3041
	21st to end	Night	5% 9% 4 8% 5% 4 4 3 5% 6% 47%	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	20% 7% 3 16% 38% 18%	2859
	11th to 20th	Day	24% 5% 9% 24% 25% 14%	2957
	21st to end	Day	30% 9% 5% 15% 26% 16%	3498
February	1st to 10th	Day	27% 6% 3 13% 24% 28%	1900
	11th to 20th	Day	24% 7% 3 14% 28% 25%	1860
	21st to end	Day	30% 9% 3 14% 23% 21%	1570
March	1st to 10th	Day	19% 14% 3 22% 25% 17%	3138
	11th to 20th	Day	23% 9% 8% 22% 23% 15%	3362
	21st to end	Day	21% 10% 5% 28% 26% 9%	3966
April	1st to 10th	Day	22% 6% 4 20% 33% 15%	2280
	11th to 20th	Day	14% 5% 2 17% 35% 26%	2252
	21st to end	Day	14% 4 4 17% 40% 20%	2280
May	1st to 10th	Day	10% 4 3 15% 38% 31%	4065
	11th to 20th	Day	5% 3 2 11% 39% 39%	4074
	21st to end	Day	7% 4 2 11% 48% 29%	4477
June	1st to 10th	Day	10% 3 1 13% 36% 37%	2470
	11th to 20th	Day	5% 3 2 7% 23% 61%	2470
	21st to end	Day	9% 1 1 5% 17% 67%	2470
July	1st to 10th	Day	6% 1 2 4 10% 77%	4046
	11th to 20th	Day	10% 4 5% 13% 28% 41%	4041
	21st to end	Day	11% 4 7% 18% 20% 39%	4214
August	1st to 10th	Day	11% 4 6% 16% 30% 33%	3770
	11th to 20th	Day	8% 3 4 10% 19% 56%	3760
	21st to end	Day	7% 2 2 6% 19% 64%	4179
September	1st to 10th	Day	14% 5% 3 9% 19% 49%	2242
	11th to 20th	Day	5% 2 2 6% 29% 56%	2090
	21st to end	Day	9% 4 2 9% 27% 50%	2090
October	1st to 10th	Day	11% 4 3 8% 19% 56%	3490
	11th to 20th	Day	6% 3 1 9% 30% 51%	3469
	21st to end	Day	10% 4 2 6% 31% 48%	3273
November	1st to 10th	Day	15% 4 2 11% 31% 37%	1755
	11th to 20th	Day	16% 4 5% 10% 29% 37%	1710
	21st to end	Day	23% 5% 4 10% 26% 32%	1710
December	1st to 10th	Day	26% 4 6% 16% 22% 26%	1710
	11th to 20th	Day	32% 8% 8% 14% 22% 17%	2168
	21st to end	Day	33% 11% 3 17% 22% 14%	3146
January	1st to 10th	Night	19% 10% 3 15% 33% 21%	4097
	11th to 20th	Night	21% 11% 6% 26% 22% 15%	4013
	21st to end	Night	31% 12% 3 9% 28% 17%	4180
February	1st to 10th	Night	27% 7% 2 11% 21% 31%	2280
	11th to 20th	Night	27% 7% 3 11% 25% 26%	2219
	21st to end	Night	28% 12% 1 13% 22% 23%	1884
March	1st to 10th	Night	20% 30% 2 14% 19% 15%	3736
	11th to 20th	Night	21% 14% 4 22% 27% 13%	3616
	21st to end	Night	20% 21% 3 18% 27% 11%	3683
April	1st to 10th	Night	22% 9% 4 17% 29% 19%	1900
	11th to 20th	Night	16% 9% 3 15% 29% 28%	1879
	21st to end	Night	14% 10% 4 13% 34% 23%	1900
May	1st to 10th	Night	9% 8% 4 9% 38% 32%	2906
	11th to 20th	Night	7% 7% 2 10% 35% 38%	2835
	21st to end	Night	6% 9% 2 9% 40% 34%	3110
June	1st to 10th	Night	7% 4 2 11% 32% 44%	1710
	11th to 20th	Night	4 5% 1 7% 20% 63%	1710
	21st to end	Night	8% 3 1 5% 14% 69%	1710
July	1st to 10th	Night	4 1 1 3 11% 80%	2815
	11th to 20th	Night	6% 2 3 11% 29% 48%	2806
	21st to end	Night	9% 2 5% 21% 24% 40%	3097
August	1st to 10th	Night	6% 2 3 20% 35% 33%	3156
	11th to 20th	Night	5% 3 4 13% 19% 56%	3156
	21st to end	Night	5% 1 1 5% 16% 71%	3498
September	1st to 10th	Night	9% 3 3 9% 23% 53%	1936
	11th to 20th	Night	6% 4 1 6% 24% 59%	2090
	21st to end	Night	7% 4 2 8% 29% 50%	2090
October	1st to 10th	Night	9% 4 2 7% 19% 60%	3490
	11th to 20th	Night	5% 4 3 7% 24% 56%	3469
	21st to end	Night	9% 6% 2 6% 29% 48%	4269
November	1st to 10th	Night	15% 7% 3 9% 29% 38%	2528
	11th to 20th	Night	17% 5% 3 10% 26% 39%	2470
	21st to end	Night	25% 7% 2 12% 22% 31%	2470
December	1st to 10th	Night	27% 8% 4 12% 20% 29%	2470
	11th to 20th	Night	30% 10% 5% 14% 23% 19%	3041
	21st to end	Night	29% 14% 4 16% 23% 14%	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	13% 12% 32% 33% 9% 1	270
	11th to 20th	Day	12% 11% 23% 38% 14% 2	328
	21st to end	Day	14% 18% 29% 27% 10% 2	506
February	1st to 10th	Day	12% 17% 32% 25% 10% 4	460
	11th to 20th	Day	14% 20% 31% 23% 12%	455
	21st to end	Day	18% 21% 33% 20% 7% 1	382
March	1st to 10th	Day	16% 23% 33% 20% 7% 1	460
	11th to 20th	Day	15% 17% 37% 20% 10% 2	460
	21st to end	Day	17% 19% 36% 19% 8% 1	506
April	1st to 10th	Day	12% 18% 34% 23% 10% 3	460
	11th to 20th	Day	8% 23% 38% 18% 10% 2	452
	21st to end	Day	9% 18% 30% 25% 12% 6%	460
May	1st to 10th	Day	8% 16% 37% 25% 11% 4	463
	11th to 20th	Day	6% 14% 38% 28% 11% 4	488
	21st to end	Day	5% 15% 35% 26% 14% 4	529
June	1st to 10th	Day	3 9% 32% 30% 20% 6%	490
	11th to 20th	Day	1 9% 36% 31% 16% 7%	490
	21st to end	Day	2 6% 34% 34% 17% 7%	490
July	1st to 10th	Day	1 1 24% 45% 19% 9%	486
	11th to 20th	Day	1 1 18% 42% 25% 12%	484
	21st to end	Day	1 2 15% 43% 24% 14%	531
August	1st to 10th	Day	2 2 25% 40% 19% 13%	487
	11th to 20th	Day	2 2 20% 40% 23% 13%	477
	21st to end	Day	1 2 19% 45% 19% 14%	539
September	1st to 10th	Day	3 2 26% 43% 17% 8%	490
	11th to 20th	Day	2 7% 35% 34% 18% 4	490
	21st to end	Day	3 9% 28% 34% 19% 7%	490
October	1st to 10th	Day	5% 10% 29% 36% 15% 5%	490
	11th to 20th	Day	2 12% 31% 35% 17% 3	490
	21st to end	Day	6% 9% 28% 30% 23% 4	408
November	1st to 10th	Day	10% 11% 20% 37% 19% 2	297
	11th to 20th	Day	5% 10% 25% 37% 19% 4	270
	21st to end	Day	10% 16% 25% 30% 14% 6%	270
December	1st to 10th	Day	7% 13% 30% 30% 17% 3	270
	11th to 20th	Day	5% 11% 28% 36% 18% 2	270
	21st to end	Day	16% 18% 25% 26% 12% 2	297
January	1st to 10th	Night	9% 8% 19% 34% 22% 9%	760
	11th to 20th	Night	7% 6% 19% 39% 23% 7%	760
	21st to end	Night	10% 11% 20% 34% 22% 3	836
February	1st to 10th	Night	9% 9% 20% 33% 21% 7%	760
	11th to 20th	Night	7% 11% 23% 32% 21% 6%	744
	21st to end	Night	9% 14% 23% 32% 18% 4	628
March	1st to 10th	Night	10% 13% 24% 33% 17% 2	760
	11th to 20th	Night	8% 10% 21% 33% 22% 6%	760
	21st to end	Night	8% 12% 24% 32% 21% 3	836
April	1st to 10th	Night	7% 10% 26% 32% 21% 4	760
	11th to 20th	Night	6% 13% 24% 34% 19% 4	751
	21st to end	Night	5% 9% 27% 28% 24% 7%	760
May	1st to 10th	Night	3 10% 24% 35% 24% 3	603
	11th to 20th	Night	1 7% 24% 36% 27% 4	561
	21st to end	Night	2 8% 27% 35% 25% 3	617
June	1st to 10th	Night	1 5% 16% 45% 30% 4	570
	11th to 20th	Night	1 3 22% 43% 28% 3	570
	21st to end	Night	1 2 18% 39% 35% 5%	570
July	1st to 10th	Night	1 8% 39% 46% 7%	555
	11th to 20th	Night	1 8% 37% 49% 6%	552
	21st to end	Night	2 1 3 32% 52% 10%	676
August	1st to 10th	Night	1 1 6% 33% 48% 11%	756
	11th to 20th	Night	1 3 26% 54% 15%	752
	21st to end	Night	2 4 22% 56% 16%	836
September	1st to 10th	Night	1 1 5% 27% 54% 11%	760
	11th to 20th	Night	1 2 10% 35% 42% 10%	760
	21st to end	Night	2 2 14% 34% 38% 11%	760
October	1st to 10th	Night	3 4 15% 39% 33% 6%	760
	11th to 20th	Night	2 5% 14% 38% 32% 10%	760
	21st to end	Night	3 5% 16% 32% 32% 12%	836
November	1st to 10th	Night	4 6% 14% 39% 28% 9%	778
	11th to 20th	Night	4 2 15% 38% 31% 11%	760
	21st to end	Night	5% 10% 17% 35% 25% 8%	760
December	1st to 10th	Night	8% 8% 20% 34% 24% 7%	760
	11th to 20th	Night	10% 8% 17% 37% 22% 5%	760
	21st to end	Night	9% 8% 24% 34% 18% 7%	836

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