Santa Monica Canyon Observatory
Clear Sky Chart
History

This sumarizes the distribution of each different forecast outcome for the Santa Monica Canyon Observatory clear sky chart from 2005-11-06 to 2024-12-24.

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	4 4 1 3 2 2 3 2 4 6% 67%	105420
	Night	5% 5% 2 4 3 3 3 3 5% 7% 61%	103479
Transparency	Day	10% 46% 4 10% 14% 16%	105183
	Night	12% 47% 5% 10% 14% 13%	103305
Seeing	Day	6% 6% 21% 35% 25% 7%	15788
	Night	6% 3 11% 35% 37% 8%	25662

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	5% 3 1 3 3 3 3 3 5% 5% 67%	2539
	11th to 20th	Day	8% 5% 2 4 3 3 3 3 6% 8% 54%	2836
	21st to end	Day	13% 5% 2 5% 3 2 3 3 4 7% 53%	3442
February	1st to 10th	Day	9% 4 2 3 4 2 2 2 5% 5% 62%	1900
	11th to 20th	Day	8% 3 1 3 3 3 2 3 6% 7% 62%	1850
	21st to end	Day	7% 4 2 5% 3 3 3 3 5% 7% 59%	1570
March	1st to 10th	Day	8% 5% 2 6% 4 4 4 4 7% 8% 50%	3138
	11th to 20th	Day	4 4 1 3 2 2 3 3 5% 9% 63%	3305
	21st to end	Day	8% 5% 2 5% 4 4 4 4 6% 8% 51%	4165
April	1st to 10th	Day	5% 4 2 3 3 3 4 3 6% 8% 60%	2280
	11th to 20th	Day	4 4 1 3 3 2 3 2 5% 6% 67%	2249
	21st to end	Day	2 4 1 3 2 2 3 2 5% 7% 68%	2280
May	1st to 10th	Day	2 4 1 4 2 3 2 3 4 6% 71%	3851
	11th to 20th	Day	3 10% 3 5% 2 2 2 2 5% 6% 60%	4071
	21st to end	Day	3 6% 3 5% 2 2 3 2 4 7% 63%	4477
June	1st to 10th	Day	4 7% 1 5% 2 2 2 2 5% 8% 61%	2530
	11th to 20th	Day	3 4 1 3 2 2 2 2 4 8% 69%	2660
	21st to end	Day	2 4 2 3 2 2 2 2 4 6% 71%	2660
July	1st to 10th	Day	2 2 1 2 2 1 2 2 3 6% 78%	4420
	11th to 20th	Day	1 2 1 3 2 3 3 3 4 5% 72%	4393
	21st to end	Day	1 1 1 2 1 1 2 2 4 5% 81%	4133
August	1st to 10th	Day	1 2 1 2 1 2 2 1 3 5% 81%	3783
	11th to 20th	Day	1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 5% 84%	3724
	21st to end	Day	1 2 1 2 1 2 2 2 3 5% 79%	4180
September	1st to 10th	Day	2 2 1 2 1 2 2 2 4 6% 76%	2280
	11th to 20th	Day	2 3 1 2 2 2 2 2 3 6% 76%	2159
	21st to end	Day	1 2 1 3 2 2 2 2 4 6% 75%	2090
October	1st to 10th	Day	2 2 1 2 1 2 2 2 3 5% 79%	3490
	11th to 20th	Day	2 3 2 3 1 2 2 2 4 8% 71%	3206
	21st to end	Day	2 3 2 3 2 2 3 3 5% 6% 68%	3424
November	1st to 10th	Day	2 3 1 3 3 3 2 3 5% 6% 70%	1764
	11th to 20th	Day	4 2 1 3 2 2 3 2 5% 6% 70%	1800
	21st to end	Day	5% 4 1 4 3 3 3 4 5% 8% 61%	1800
December	1st to 10th	Day	7% 4 2 4 3 4 3 3 6% 6% 58%	1800
	11th to 20th	Day	15% 5% 2 5% 4 3 4 3 5% 8% 46%	2259
	21st to end	Day	12% 6% 2 6% 5% 5% 4 4 6% 6% 45%	2912
January	1st to 10th	Night	7% 4 1 3 2 2 3 3 3 5% 66%	4406
	11th to 20th	Night	8% 5% 2 5% 3 3 3 3 5% 7% 55%	4130
	21st to end	Night	13% 5% 2 4 3 3 3 3 5% 7% 53%	4229
February	1st to 10th	Night	8% 6% 2 4 3 2 3 3 4 5% 62%	2280
	11th to 20th	Night	8% 5% 2 4 3 2 3 3 4 6% 61%	2218
	21st to end	Night	10% 4 2 5% 4 3 3 3 3 5% 58%	1884
March	1st to 10th	Night	7% 6% 2 5% 3 3 4 3 6% 9% 51%	3736
	11th to 20th	Night	4 4 2 4 3 3 4 4 6% 7% 58%	3669
	21st to end	Night	9% 5% 2 5% 3 4 4 3 5% 6% 54%	3488
April	1st to 10th	Night	6% 6% 2 5% 3 3 3 3 4 7% 58%	1900
	11th to 20th	Night	4 5% 2 4 3 3 3 2 4 6% 65%	1879
	21st to end	Night	4 5% 2 4 3 3 4 3 5% 7% 60%	1900
May	1st to 10th	Night	3 7% 2 4 2 3 3 3 4 6% 63%	3126
	11th to 20th	Night	2 11% 7% 9% 3 3 3 3 5% 8% 46%	2834
	21st to end	Night	2 8% 3 5% 3 2 3 2 5% 6% 61%	3110
June	1st to 10th	Night	2 9% 3 5% 3 4 4 4 5% 8% 53%	1644
	11th to 20th	Night	3 7% 2 4 2 2 3 3 5% 8% 60%	1520
	21st to end	Night	1 7% 2 5% 3 3 3 3 8% 9% 57%	1520
July	1st to 10th	Night	1 3 1 4 3 3 3 2 6% 8% 66%	2540
	11th to 20th	Night	1 2 1 4 3 4 5% 4 7% 8% 62%	2563
	21st to end	Night	2 2 1 3 2 3 3 2 4 6% 72%	3440
August	1st to 10th	Night	2 2 1 3 2 3 3 2 5% 8% 70%	3166
	11th to 20th	Night	1 3 1 3 2 2 2 2 5% 8% 71%	3126
	21st to end	Night	1 1 2 4 3 3 4 4 5% 7% 67%	3498
September	1st to 10th	Night	3 4 2 3 2 2 3 2 4 7% 67%	1900
	11th to 20th	Night	2 3 1 3 2 2 3 2 5% 5% 72%	2019
	21st to end	Night	1 2 1 4 2 2 3 3 5% 6% 71%	2090
October	1st to 10th	Night	2 3 1 2 2 2 2 2 7% 8% 68%	3490
	11th to 20th	Night	2 9% 3 5% 3 2 3 3 6% 7% 57%	3715
	21st to end	Night	2 3 2 3 2 2 2 2 4 6% 73%	4141
November	1st to 10th	Night	2 4 1 3 2 3 3 2 4 6% 69%	2535
	11th to 20th	Night	3 3 2 3 3 2 3 2 4 6% 69%	2600
	21st to end	Night	5% 3 1 4 3 3 4 3 5% 8% 60%	2600
December	1st to 10th	Night	6% 5% 2 5% 3 3 3 3 4 6% 60%	2600
	11th to 20th	Night	15% 6% 2 5% 4 3 2 3 5% 8% 47%	3171
	21st to end	Night	13% 6% 2 5% 4 4 5% 4 5% 6% 46%	4812

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	9% 37% 4 19% 21% 10%	2539
	11th to 20th	Day	21% 40% 11% 15% 8% 5%	2836
	21st to end	Day	21% 40% 3 14% 16% 6%	3442
February	1st to 10th	Day	10% 65% 3 5% 9% 8%	1900
	11th to 20th	Day	9% 63% 2 5% 10% 11%	1860
	21st to end	Day	9% 65% 4 8% 8% 6%	1570
March	1st to 10th	Day	16% 46% 7% 16% 8% 7%	3138
	11th to 20th	Day	7% 43% 12% 22% 5% 11%	3305
	21st to end	Day	17% 45% 11% 17% 7% 3	4165
April	1st to 10th	Day	8% 66% 3 8% 10% 5%	2280
	11th to 20th	Day	6% 66% 3 6% 12% 8%	2252
	21st to end	Day	6% 66% 4 10% 10% 5%	2280
May	1st to 10th	Day	9% 42% 6% 11% 27% 5%	3851
	11th to 20th	Day	18% 42% 7% 12% 18% 3	4074
	21st to end	Day	16% 43% 8% 18% 14% 1	4477
June	1st to 10th	Day	8% 65% 3 9% 10% 5%	2530
	11th to 20th	Day	6% 64% 2 7% 12% 10%	2660
	21st to end	Day	7% 62% 1 5% 12% 12%	2660
July	1st to 10th	Day	5% 35% 2 4 7% 48%	4351
	11th to 20th	Day	8% 36% 4 6% 17% 29%	4318
	21st to end	Day	4 34% 2 11% 19% 30%	4003
August	1st to 10th	Day	5% 36% 1 7% 29% 22%	3770
	11th to 20th	Day	3 36% 1 5% 20% 36%	3760
	21st to end	Day	5% 36% 2 5% 18% 34%	4179
September	1st to 10th	Day	6% 59% 2 5% 14% 13%	2280
	11th to 20th	Day	7% 60% 1 6% 14% 12%	2159
	21st to end	Day	5% 59% 3 7% 16% 11%	2090
October	1st to 10th	Day	3 36% 1 5% 11% 44%	3490
	11th to 20th	Day	8% 37% 3 11% 25% 16%	3206
	21st to end	Day	12% 37% 2 5% 21% 24%	3424
November	1st to 10th	Day	4 56% 2 7% 12% 20%	1764
	11th to 20th	Day	9% 57% 4 6% 8% 17%	1800
	21st to end	Day	10% 57% 5% 6% 10% 12%	1800
December	1st to 10th	Day	11% 57% 3 9% 10% 10%	1800
	11th to 20th	Day	22% 47% 3 6% 11% 10%	2258
	21st to end	Day	27% 40% 6% 13% 7% 7%	2912
January	1st to 10th	Night	13% 38% 5% 10% 22% 12%	4406
	11th to 20th	Night	22% 41% 8% 18% 7% 4	4130
	21st to end	Night	21% 43% 5% 11% 14% 6%	4229
February	1st to 10th	Night	10% 65% 3 6% 8% 8%	2280
	11th to 20th	Night	10% 63% 3 4 9% 11%	2219
	21st to end	Night	11% 65% 3 7% 9% 6%	1884
March	1st to 10th	Night	14% 47% 7% 15% 13% 4	3736
	11th to 20th	Night	10% 44% 11% 18% 8% 9%	3669
	21st to end	Night	15% 46% 11% 13% 12% 3	3488
April	1st to 10th	Night	10% 65% 3 8% 8% 6%	1900
	11th to 20th	Night	6% 66% 3 7% 11% 7%	1879
	21st to end	Night	6% 64% 6% 9% 10% 5%	1900
May	1st to 10th	Night	10% 43% 7% 11% 23% 7%	3126
	11th to 20th	Night	17% 45% 8% 14% 14% 3	2835
	21st to end	Night	13% 43% 11% 17% 15% 1	3110
June	1st to 10th	Night	10% 65% 6% 8% 8% 4	1644
	11th to 20th	Night	6% 64% 3 7% 11% 9%	1520
	21st to end	Night	10% 62% 3 5% 10% 9%	1520
July	1st to 10th	Night	8% 35% 3 4 9% 40%	2500
	11th to 20th	Night	10% 36% 5% 6% 19% 24%	2515
	21st to end	Night	5% 35% 3 14% 18% 25%	3332
August	1st to 10th	Night	7% 36% 3 12% 25% 17%	3156
	11th to 20th	Night	7% 36% 2 8% 22% 26%	3156
	21st to end	Night	9% 38% 2 4 26% 22%	3498
September	1st to 10th	Night	9% 59% 2 4 14% 12%	1900
	11th to 20th	Night	7% 60% 3 5% 13% 12%	2019
	21st to end	Night	5% 59% 3 6% 16% 11%	2090
October	1st to 10th	Night	4 36% 2 7% 14% 37%	3490
	11th to 20th	Night	18% 39% 4 9% 17% 14%	3715
	21st to end	Night	9% 36% 2 7% 20% 27%	4141
November	1st to 10th	Night	4 55% 3 7% 11% 21%	2535
	11th to 20th	Night	9% 57% 3 7% 9% 15%	2600
	21st to end	Night	11% 57% 4 9% 8% 12%	2600
December	1st to 10th	Night	12% 57% 3 8% 10% 11%	2600
	11th to 20th	Night	21% 48% 4 5% 10% 12%	3171
	21st to end	Night	25% 42% 7% 13% 7% 6%	4812

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% 6% 27% 33% 17% 2	180
	11th to 20th	Day	11% 8% 31% 32% 16% 1	359
	21st to end	Day	10% 12% 32% 30% 14% 2	492
February	1st to 10th	Day	11% 10% 31% 29% 15% 4	460
	11th to 20th	Day	11% 13% 33% 31% 10% 2	455
	21st to end	Day	8% 15% 34% 32% 10% 1	382
March	1st to 10th	Day	11% 17% 33% 27% 12% 2	460
	11th to 20th	Day	10% 13% 32% 30% 12% 2	460
	21st to end	Day	9% 15% 35% 29% 11% 2	506
April	1st to 10th	Day	7% 10% 30% 31% 17% 5%	460
	11th to 20th	Day	5% 13% 35% 32% 11% 4	452
	21st to end	Day	3 12% 31% 30% 17% 8%	460
May	1st to 10th	Day	6% 11% 29% 36% 15% 4	463
	11th to 20th	Day	6% 6% 25% 36% 23% 3	488
	21st to end	Day	5% 5% 27% 37% 20% 5%	529
June	1st to 10th	Day	6% 2 16% 38% 30% 7%	490
	11th to 20th	Day	5% 3 17% 39% 28% 9%	490
	21st to end	Day	4 2 12% 39% 32% 11%	490
July	1st to 10th	Day	3 1 4 37% 42% 13%	486
	11th to 20th	Day	2 4 29% 47% 18%	484
	21st to end	Day	2 3 33% 44% 18%	531
August	1st to 10th	Day	2 1 7% 37% 38% 15%	487
	11th to 20th	Day	3 5% 34% 44% 14%	477
	21st to end	Day	1 1 8% 39% 38% 14%	539
September	1st to 10th	Day	4 1 11% 43% 29% 13%	490
	11th to 20th	Day	3 3 18% 42% 28% 7%	490
	21st to end	Day	1 3 20% 39% 29% 9%	490
October	1st to 10th	Day	2 5% 18% 41% 26% 7%	490
	11th to 20th	Day	3 4 23% 41% 23% 6%	490
	21st to end	Day	5% 6% 24% 33% 26% 6%	527
November	1st to 10th	Day	4 6% 19% 34% 28% 9%	300
	11th to 20th	Day	4 6% 21% 39% 23% 6%	300
	21st to end	Day	7% 6% 23% 33% 27% 5%	300
December	1st to 10th	Day	8% 6% 21% 35% 26% 3	300
	11th to 20th	Day	7% 6% 19% 37% 27% 4	300
	21st to end	Day	14% 12% 23% 35% 14% 2	231
January	1st to 10th	Night	11% 4 13% 43% 22% 6%	760
	11th to 20th	Night	8% 3 19% 41% 24% 4	760
	21st to end	Night	12% 4 19% 39% 23% 3	836
February	1st to 10th	Night	10% 4 15% 39% 26% 6%	760
	11th to 20th	Night	9% 4 16% 40% 24% 7%	744
	21st to end	Night	11% 6% 19% 40% 21% 4	628
March	1st to 10th	Night	9% 6% 17% 44% 22% 3	760
	11th to 20th	Night	8% 4 15% 39% 28% 6%	760
	21st to end	Night	8% 5% 17% 43% 23% 4	836
April	1st to 10th	Night	8% 4 14% 42% 28% 4	760
	11th to 20th	Night	6% 4 16% 41% 30% 3	751
	21st to end	Night	5% 6% 15% 38% 29% 7%	760
May	1st to 10th	Night	7% 2 15% 39% 33% 5%	732
	11th to 20th	Night	4 2 15% 38% 37% 4	561
	21st to end	Night	4 1 16% 40% 35% 4	617
June	1st to 10th	Night	3 2 11% 37% 43% 5%	504
	11th to 20th	Night	2 1 3 32% 54% 7%	380
	21st to end	Night	4 2 27% 60% 7%	380
July	1st to 10th	Night	2 2 13% 72% 11%	370
	11th to 20th	Night	1 10% 72% 17%	378
	21st to end	Night	3 1 1 16% 60% 19%	815
August	1st to 10th	Night	4 1 21% 58% 16%	756
	11th to 20th	Night	3 1 15% 62% 18%	752
	21st to end	Night	2 1 18% 60% 18%	836
September	1st to 10th	Night	5% 1 3 22% 52% 16%	760
	11th to 20th	Night	3 1 3 30% 51% 12%	760
	21st to end	Night	1 1 6% 31% 51% 11%	760
October	1st to 10th	Night	4 1 7% 39% 43% 7%	760
	11th to 20th	Night	5% 2 9% 34% 40% 10%	760
	21st to end	Night	4 2 12% 34% 35% 13%	836
November	1st to 10th	Night	3 4 12% 38% 34% 10%	780
	11th to 20th	Night	6% 3 10% 39% 33% 10%	800
	21st to end	Night	7% 2 14% 42% 28% 7%	800
December	1st to 10th	Night	8% 4 16% 40% 26% 6%	800
	11th to 20th	Night	12% 5% 14% 42% 23% 4	800
	21st to end	Night	10% 5% 18% 42% 19% 5%	850

Page generated at 2024-12-21 01:13:47. Version ac07

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