McDonald Observatory
Clear Sky Chart
History

This sumarizes the distribution of each different forecast outcome for the McDonald Observatory clear sky chart from 2005-11-06 to 2026-03-18.

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 4 3 4 4 4 6% 7% 61%	139650
	Night	3 3 1 3 3 3 4 3 5% 7% 64%	139336
Transparency	Day	20% 4 7% 18% 26% 24%	134764
	Night	19% 4 8% 18% 26% 26%	135227
Seeing	Day	8% 12% 26% 30% 20% 5%	16327
	Night	6% 8% 24% 38% 22% 2	26605

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	2 3 1 3 2 3 3 3 5% 6% 70%	5885
	11th to 20th	Day	2 2 2 2 2 2 2 4 6% 75%	5910
	21st to end	Day	2 4 2 5% 3 3 4 4 5% 6% 62%	6468
February	1st to 10th	Day	2 4 1 4 3 4 4 3 5% 6% 63%	2100
	11th to 20th	Day	3 4 2 3 3 4 4 3 4 6% 65%	2049
	21st to end	Day	2 2 1 3 2 3 3 3 5% 7% 69%	1730
March	1st to 10th	Day	2 3 2 4 3 3 3 4 6% 8% 63%	4600
	11th to 20th	Day	4 4 1 3 2 3 3 3 5% 7% 65%	4934
	21st to end	Day	2 3 1 4 4 4 4 3 6% 7% 63%	5915
April	1st to 10th	Day	3 3 1 3 3 3 3 4 5% 7% 65%	2400
	11th to 20th	Day	2 4 2 4 3 3 3 4 4 6% 64%	2371
	21st to end	Day	3 3 1 2 2 2 2 3 4 6% 71%	2400
May	1st to 10th	Day	3 2 1 2 2 2 2 2 3 5% 76%	5440
	11th to 20th	Day	3 3 1 3 2 3 3 3 5% 7% 66%	5405
	21st to end	Day	2 1 1 2 3 3 4 4 6% 7% 66%	6348
June	1st to 10th	Day	2 2 1 3 3 4 4 5% 8% 8% 61%	2600
	11th to 20th	Day	3 2 1 4 4 3 5% 5% 8% 8% 58%	2600
	21st to end	Day	6% 5% 2 5% 5% 5% 5% 5% 7% 9% 47%	2600
July	1st to 10th	Day	7% 4 1 5% 4 5% 6% 5% 7% 8% 49%	5445
	11th to 20th	Day	3 2 1 3 5% 6% 7% 6% 9% 10% 49%	5440
	21st to end	Day	4 4 2 6% 6% 6% 7% 6% 8% 10% 41%	5922
August	1st to 10th	Day	2 1 1 3 3 4 6% 5% 8% 11% 54%	5348
	11th to 20th	Day	3 3 2 7% 6% 7% 8% 6% 9% 10% 38%	5366
	21st to end	Day	4 3 1 5% 5% 5% 6% 5% 7% 8% 50%	5984
September	1st to 10th	Day	11% 5% 3 6% 6% 5% 5% 4 7% 7% 40%	2400
	11th to 20th	Day	10% 6% 3 6% 5% 6% 6% 5% 7% 7% 38%	2288
	21st to end	Day	9% 5% 2 6% 4 4 5% 3 5% 7% 49%	2200
October	1st to 10th	Day	3 2 1 3 3 3 3 3 3 5% 71%	3590
	11th to 20th	Day	4 2 1 4 2 3 3 3 4 5% 68%	3324
	21st to end	Day	3 2 1 1 2 1 2 3 5% 80%	3548
November	1st to 10th	Day	4 3 1 2 2 2 3 2 3 5% 73%	1997
	11th to 20th	Day	2 4 2 4 3 3 3 3 4 5% 69%	1890
	21st to end	Day	5% 5% 2 4 3 2 3 3 4 7% 64%	1890
December	1st to 10th	Day	4 7% 2 5% 3 3 3 2 4 6% 59%	3030
	11th to 20th	Day	1 2 1 3 3 4 4 3 5% 6% 68%	3481
	21st to end	Day	2 2 1 2 2 2 2 2 4 5% 76%	4752
January	1st to 10th	Night	2 3 2 4 3 4 4 3 4 5% 67%	7038
	11th to 20th	Night	3 3 1 2 2 2 3 3 4 5% 73%	7080
	21st to end	Night	3 4 2 5% 3 4 4 4 6% 8% 58%	7746
February	1st to 10th	Night	3 4 1 4 3 3 4 3 5% 7% 64%	2520
	11th to 20th	Night	3 4 1 4 4 4 5% 3 5% 7% 60%	2458
	21st to end	Night	3 3 1 2 2 3 4 4 4 7% 67%	2076
March	1st to 10th	Night	2 2 1 3 3 3 3 3 6% 8% 65%	5494
	11th to 20th	Night	4 7% 2 4 2 2 3 2 4 5% 65%	5197
	21st to end	Night	2 3 1 3 3 4 3 3 5% 6% 66%	5039
April	1st to 10th	Night	5% 3 1 4 3 4 3 4 4 6% 63%	2000
	11th to 20th	Night	2 4 2 4 3 3 4 3 5% 6% 64%	1977
	21st to end	Night	2 3 1 3 2 3 3 2 4 5% 73%	2000
May	1st to 10th	Night	1 4 1 3 2 2 2 2 3 4 75%	4540
	11th to 20th	Night	4 4 1 3 3 3 3 3 5% 6% 64%	4510
	21st to end	Night	3 3 1 4 4 4 4 4 6% 6% 62%	4541
June	1st to 10th	Night	2 2 1 4 4 3 5% 4 8% 10% 57%	1800
	11th to 20th	Night	3 2 1 4 4 3 5% 5% 8% 9% 55%	1800
	21st to end	Night	6% 3 2 5% 3 4 5% 5% 7% 10% 51%	1800
July	1st to 10th	Night	7% 4 2 4 3 3 4 4 7% 12% 51%	4527
	11th to 20th	Night	2 1 1 2 2 3 4 4 6% 13% 63%	4540
	21st to end	Night	3 3 1 5% 4 4 6% 5% 8% 14% 47%	4951
August	1st to 10th	Night	1 1 1 2 2 3 4 4 7% 13% 63%	4464
	11th to 20th	Night	2 1 1 3 3 4 6% 5% 10% 16% 48%	4483
	21st to end	Night	3 3 1 4 3 3 4 3 6% 10% 60%	4993
September	1st to 10th	Night	7% 5% 2 4 4 4 5% 5% 6% 9% 48%	2000
	11th to 20th	Night	7% 5% 2 5% 4 5% 5% 5% 9% 10% 45%	2110
	21st to end	Night	7% 4 2 4 3 4 5% 5% 7% 8% 53%	2200
October	1st to 10th	Night	3 2 1 2 2 2 2 2 3 5% 74%	3590
	11th to 20th	Night	4 3 1 3 2 2 3 2 4 5% 69%	3817
	21st to end	Night	2 2 1 2 2 1 2 1 2 4 82%	4252
November	1st to 10th	Night	4 3 1 3 2 2 2 2 4 5% 72%	2497
	11th to 20th	Night	3 4 2 3 2 3 3 2 4 6% 69%	2730
	21st to end	Night	4 4 1 4 3 3 3 2 5% 7% 65%	2730
December	1st to 10th	Night	5% 7% 2 4 3 4 4 4 4 6% 57%	4380
	11th to 20th	Night	1 3 1 4 3 2 3 2 4 7% 70%	4946
	21st to end	Night	2 3 1 2 2 2 2 2 3 4 77%	6510

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	15% 3 4 20% 29% 29%	5888
	11th to 20th	Day	12% 2 3 19% 37% 28%	5910
	21st to end	Day	22% 2 4 16% 31% 24%	6468
February	1st to 10th	Day	20% 3 4 15% 25% 33%	2100
	11th to 20th	Day	21% 2 5% 15% 28% 28%	2059
	21st to end	Day	15% 3 3 13% 34% 33%	1730
March	1st to 10th	Day	18% 3 3 9% 21% 47%	4600
	11th to 20th	Day	19% 3 4 13% 23% 39%	4934
	21st to end	Day	20% 3 3 8% 32% 36%	5915
April	1st to 10th	Day	18% 3 4 13% 29% 33%	2400
	11th to 20th	Day	20% 3 4 11% 29% 33%	2374
	21st to end	Day	15% 2 3 12% 35% 32%	2400
May	1st to 10th	Day	12% 3 3 13% 27% 41%	5440
	11th to 20th	Day	17% 3 4 12% 28% 36%	5408
	21st to end	Day	14% 6% 7% 17% 17% 40%	6349
June	1st to 10th	Day	17% 5% 11% 23% 27% 17%	2600
	11th to 20th	Day	20% 5% 6% 19% 27% 23%	2600
	21st to end	Day	29% 7% 10% 23% 20% 12%	2600
July	1st to 10th	Day	29% 7% 15% 27% 20% 2	5387
	11th to 20th	Day	21% 10% 19% 33% 15% 2	5377
	21st to end	Day	29% 9% 19% 25% 16% 2	5752
August	1st to 10th	Day	21% 7% 13% 31% 25% 3	3892
	11th to 20th	Day	28% 7% 15% 26% 20% 3	3882
	21st to end	Day	28% 8% 16% 29% 17% 3	4311
September	1st to 10th	Day	38% 6% 13% 17% 15% 10%	2400
	11th to 20th	Day	38% 6% 11% 18% 18% 7%	2288
	21st to end	Day	31% 5% 7% 22% 23% 12%	2200
October	1st to 10th	Day	14% 3 6% 15% 27% 36%	3590
	11th to 20th	Day	17% 3 6% 22% 22% 30%	3324
	21st to end	Day	10% 1 2 14% 46% 26%	3548
November	1st to 10th	Day	15% 2 6% 18% 29% 29%	1997
	11th to 20th	Day	19% 2 6% 20% 29% 23%	1890
	21st to end	Day	22% 1 6% 19% 31% 21%	1890
December	1st to 10th	Day	27% 2 5% 18% 27% 20%	3030
	11th to 20th	Day	17% 2 4 18% 34% 25%	3479
	21st to end	Day	11% 1 3 12% 36% 36%	4752
January	1st to 10th	Night	18% 3 3 18% 31% 28%	7038
	11th to 20th	Night	15% 2 2 16% 29% 37%	7080
	21st to end	Night	24% 2 4 15% 29% 25%	7746
February	1st to 10th	Night	19% 2 4 14% 26% 35%	2520
	11th to 20th	Night	24% 2 6% 13% 27% 28%	2458
	21st to end	Night	18% 3 3 11% 29% 37%	2076
March	1st to 10th	Night	16% 3 2 9% 23% 47%	5494
	11th to 20th	Night	21% 4 3 8% 23% 40%	5197
	21st to end	Night	19% 2 4 8% 29% 38%	5039
April	1st to 10th	Night	23% 3 3 12% 29% 30%	2000
	11th to 20th	Night	21% 3 6% 14% 25% 32%	1977
	21st to end	Night	14% 3 5% 16% 27% 35%	2000
May	1st to 10th	Night	13% 4 4 13% 24% 42%	4537
	11th to 20th	Night	20% 3 5% 16% 24% 32%	4511
	21st to end	Night	21% 4 7% 14% 17% 37%	4542
June	1st to 10th	Night	19% 5% 12% 27% 23% 14%	1800
	11th to 20th	Night	22% 5% 8% 20% 27% 19%	1800
	21st to end	Night	26% 5% 14% 23% 21% 12%	1800
July	1st to 10th	Night	26% 6% 18% 34% 13% 2	4477
	11th to 20th	Night	13% 6% 23% 41% 16% 2	4480
	21st to end	Night	24% 9% 21% 30% 15% 1	4808
August	1st to 10th	Night	15% 5% 15% 35% 27% 3	3244
	11th to 20th	Night	18% 7% 23% 32% 18% 2	3243
	21st to end	Night	20% 7% 21% 34% 15% 3	3597
September	1st to 10th	Night	30% 6% 17% 20% 16% 10%	2000
	11th to 20th	Night	30% 8% 18% 20% 17% 8%	2110
	21st to end	Night	27% 4 13% 23% 21% 12%	2200
October	1st to 10th	Night	13% 3 9% 13% 24% 38%	3590
	11th to 20th	Night	17% 3 10% 18% 19% 32%	3817
	21st to end	Night	10% 2 2 14% 42% 30%	4252
November	1st to 10th	Night	16% 3 4 15% 35% 28%	2497
	11th to 20th	Night	17% 3 4 20% 30% 26%	2730
	21st to end	Night	21% 2 5% 17% 32% 22%	2730
December	1st to 10th	Night	29% 3 5% 16% 27% 20%	4380
	11th to 20th	Night	17% 2 2 14% 35% 30%	4947
	21st to end	Night	13% 1 3 13% 38% 32%	6510

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% 22% 31% 26% 8%	330
	11th to 20th	Day	8% 21% 38% 23% 10%	330
	21st to end	Day	7% 28% 33% 24% 7% 1	363
February	1st to 10th	Day	9% 19% 34% 22% 14% 1	330
	11th to 20th	Day	16% 20% 37% 19% 7% 1	330
	21st to end	Day	7% 27% 43% 17% 5%	273
March	1st to 10th	Day	12% 22% 41% 17% 8%	330
	11th to 20th	Day	13% 24% 39% 17% 5% 2	463
	21st to end	Day	9% 27% 43% 17% 4	550
April	1st to 10th	Day	9% 22% 42% 20% 7% 1	500
	11th to 20th	Day	9% 23% 45% 19% 4	492
	21st to end	Day	7% 21% 42% 26% 3	500
May	1st to 10th	Day	7% 20% 39% 26% 7% 1	503
	11th to 20th	Day	7% 14% 34% 35% 8% 1	528
	21st to end	Day	4 7% 38% 39% 11% 1	743
June	1st to 10th	Day	2 4 22% 46% 23% 4	730
	11th to 20th	Day	2 2 18% 49% 25% 3	730
	21st to end	Day	6% 3 12% 34% 37% 7%	730
July	1st to 10th	Day	9% 1 8% 31% 35% 15%	532
	11th to 20th	Day	4 4 32% 45% 14%	524
	21st to end	Day	4 1 6% 33% 43% 13%	575
August	1st to 10th	Day	3 1 4 28% 44% 19%	527
	11th to 20th	Day	6% 3 9% 31% 38% 13%	517
	21st to end	Day	9% 3 7% 28% 39% 15%	583
September	1st to 10th	Day	10% 3 11% 36% 32% 8%	530
	11th to 20th	Day	9% 3 11% 37% 30% 10%	418
	21st to end	Day	9% 3 15% 35% 29% 9%	330
October	1st to 10th	Day	10% 3 18% 37% 28% 5%	330
	11th to 20th	Day	7% 7% 26% 41% 16% 3	330
	21st to end	Day	6% 14% 29% 26% 18% 6%	363
November	1st to 10th	Day	10% 11% 30% 32% 14% 4	330
	11th to 20th	Day	8% 15% 28% 30% 15% 5%	330
	21st to end	Day	12% 22% 32% 21% 11% 3	330
December	1st to 10th	Day	13% 17% 29% 27% 11% 2	330
	11th to 20th	Day	7% 19% 36% 30% 8% 1	330
	21st to end	Day	7% 21% 35% 27% 9% 1	363
January	1st to 10th	Night	8% 12% 34% 34% 12% 1	840
	11th to 20th	Night	8% 11% 33% 34% 14% 1	840
	21st to end	Night	6% 13% 35% 34% 11% 1	924
February	1st to 10th	Night	6% 13% 30% 35% 15% 1	840
	11th to 20th	Night	8% 12% 35% 36% 9%	824
	21st to end	Night	7% 15% 40% 34% 4	692
March	1st to 10th	Night	7% 13% 33% 36% 10% 1	840
	11th to 20th	Night	9% 14% 32% 31% 14% 1	828
	21st to end	Night	4 12% 41% 34% 7% 1	689
April	1st to 10th	Night	7% 12% 33% 39% 10%	600
	11th to 20th	Night	6% 13% 40% 35% 6%	593
	21st to end	Night	2 13% 37% 40% 8% 1	600
May	1st to 10th	Night	4 9% 35% 41% 11% 1	600
	11th to 20th	Night	6% 8% 29% 45% 11% 1	591
	21st to end	Night	4 6% 29% 47% 14%	650
June	1st to 10th	Night	2 2 21% 54% 20% 1	600
	11th to 20th	Night	4 2 18% 54% 22% 1	600
	21st to end	Night	5% 3 12% 49% 31% 1	600
July	1st to 10th	Night	5% 1 7% 39% 45% 3	585
	11th to 20th	Night	4 4 44% 44% 4	582
	21st to end	Night	3 5% 43% 46% 4	657
August	1st to 10th	Night	3 1 3 29% 58% 6%	597
	11th to 20th	Night	4 1 4 28% 57% 8%	594
	21st to end	Night	6% 1 5% 32% 52% 5%	660
September	1st to 10th	Night	8% 3 5% 31% 47% 5%	600
	11th to 20th	Night	9% 1 7% 41% 39% 3	600
	21st to end	Night	8% 1 10% 40% 37% 5%	600
October	1st to 10th	Night	6% 2 13% 46% 31% 3	600
	11th to 20th	Night	7% 6% 19% 42% 24% 3	745
	21st to end	Night	4 7% 20% 38% 24% 6%	880
November	1st to 10th	Night	6% 5% 23% 38% 24% 5%	857
	11th to 20th	Night	5% 8% 24% 41% 21% 1	1050
	21st to end	Night	7% 11% 28% 35% 16% 3	1050
December	1st to 10th	Night	9% 9% 29% 35% 16% 2	1050
	11th to 20th	Night	5% 11% 34% 36% 13% 1	1050
	21st to end	Night	6% 14% 31% 36% 11% 2	1097

Page generated at 2026-03-15 01:23:58. Version ac07

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