Santa Barbara
Clear Sky Chart
History

This sumarizes the distribution of each different forecast outcome for the Santa Barbara clear sky chart from 2005-11-06 to 2024-11-04.

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	5% 3 1 3 2 3 3 2 4 6% 68%	104701
	Night	6% 3 1 3 3 2 3 2 4 5% 68%	103086
Transparency	Day	9% 46% 6% 10% 15% 15%	104459
	Night	9% 46% 4 9% 16% 16%	102918
Seeing	Day	6% 8% 24% 38% 20% 4	15631
	Night	6% 5% 18% 33% 29% 9%	25324

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	7% 2 1 3 2 2 2 2 4 7% 67%	2669
	11th to 20th	Day	10% 4 1 4 3 3 4 3 6% 7% 56%	2860
	21st to end	Day	12% 4 2 4 3 3 4 4 5% 9% 49%	3146
February	1st to 10th	Day	11% 4 1 3 2 2 2 2 4 5% 62%	1893
	11th to 20th	Day	8% 3 1 3 3 3 4 3 6% 8% 60%	1850
	21st to end	Day	9% 4 1 3 3 3 5% 2 5% 6% 59%	1570
March	1st to 10th	Day	12% 4 2 5% 3 3 3 4 4 6% 55%	3138
	11th to 20th	Day	5% 2 1 2 2 2 2 2 4 6% 71%	3478
	21st to end	Day	8% 4 1 4 4 4 5% 4 6% 8% 54%	4065
April	1st to 10th	Day	6% 3 1 3 3 3 4 4 5% 8% 61%	2280
	11th to 20th	Day	4 3 2 4 2 3 3 3 4 6% 67%	2249
	21st to end	Day	3 3 1 3 2 3 3 3 6% 7% 68%	2280
May	1st to 10th	Day	3 3 1 2 2 2 2 2 4 5% 75%	3800
	11th to 20th	Day	2 7% 4 6% 2 2 3 2 5% 7% 60%	3947
	21st to end	Day	3 5% 2 4 2 2 2 2 4 6% 70%	4591
June	1st to 10th	Day	3 5% 2 6% 2 4 3 2 5% 7% 61%	2660
	11th to 20th	Day	2 4 1 3 2 4 3 2 5% 6% 68%	2660
	21st to end	Day	2 2 1 2 2 3 3 2 4 6% 73%	2660
July	1st to 10th	Day	1 1 1 2 1 3 3 2 3 4 79%	4420
	11th to 20th	Day	2 2 1 3 2 3 3 2 4 4 73%	4185
	21st to end	Day	1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 3 5% 78%	4402
August	1st to 10th	Day	1 2 1 2 2 2 3 2 3 5% 77%	3783
	11th to 20th	Day	1 1 1 1 1 3 2 1 3 4 82%	3724
	21st to end	Day	1 1 1 2 1 3 2 2 3 5% 81%	4180
September	1st to 10th	Day	2 3 1 3 2 2 2 2 4 7% 72%	2280
	11th to 20th	Day	3 3 1 3 1 3 3 2 4 6% 73%	2229
	21st to end	Day	1 2 1 2 2 3 2 2 4 5% 76%	2090
October	1st to 10th	Day	2 1 1 1 2 2 2 3 4 80%	3335
	11th to 20th	Day	1 2 1 4 4 3 2 2 4 5% 71%	3161
	21st to end	Day	3 2 1 3 2 2 3 2 4 6% 72%	3448
November	1st to 10th	Day	2 2 1 2 2 2 3 3 5% 6% 72%	1777
	11th to 20th	Day	4 2 1 3 2 2 3 3 5% 5% 69%	1710
	21st to end	Day	4 2 1 4 2 3 3 3 6% 6% 67%	1710
December	1st to 10th	Day	7% 4 1 4 3 2 3 3 4 6% 61%	1710
	11th to 20th	Day	21% 4 1 4 3 2 3 3 6% 6% 46%	1967
	21st to end	Day	14% 5% 1 4 4 3 4 3 5% 7% 49%	2794
January	1st to 10th	Night	9% 3 1 3 3 2 2 3 4 5% 65%	4277
	11th to 20th	Night	9% 4 2 5% 3 3 4 3 4 7% 55%	4110
	21st to end	Night	13% 4 1 3 3 2 3 3 5% 8% 54%	4521
February	1st to 10th	Night	10% 5% 1 3 2 2 2 2 4 6% 62%	2284
	11th to 20th	Night	8% 4 1 3 2 2 3 3 4 6% 65%	2218
	21st to end	Night	10% 4 1 3 3 3 3 2 3 4 62%	1884
March	1st to 10th	Night	10% 4 1 3 3 3 4 4 6% 8% 54%	3736
	11th to 20th	Night	5% 2 1 3 2 2 4 2 4 7% 68%	3499
	21st to end	Night	12% 3 1 2 2 2 2 2 4 7% 62%	3586
April	1st to 10th	Night	6% 4 2 3 3 2 3 2 5% 7% 63%	1900
	11th to 20th	Night	4 4 3 2 2 2 2 5% 4 71%	1879
	21st to end	Night	3 3 1 3 2 3 2 2 4 6% 71%	1900
May	1st to 10th	Night	3 2 1 2 1 2 2 1 3 4 79%	3180
	11th to 20th	Night	2 9% 3 7% 2 3 2 2 3 4 62%	2945
	21st to end	Night	2 4 1 4 1 2 2 1 2 5% 76%	2986
June	1st to 10th	Night	1 4 1 6% 4 5% 3 3 5% 8% 60%	1520
	11th to 20th	Night	2 3 1 3 2 4 3 3 4 6% 69%	1520
	21st to end	Night	2 1 1 3 2 3 2 2 4 5% 74%	1520
July	1st to 10th	Night	1 2 3 3 2 2 4 5% 78%	2540
	11th to 20th	Night	1 1 1 4 3 4 4 2 4 6% 71%	2778
	21st to end	Night	1 1 1 2 2 3 2 3 4 81%	3161
August	1st to 10th	Night	1 1 2 1 1 3 2 3 5% 80%	3166
	11th to 20th	Night	1 1 2 1 2 2 1 2 4 83%	3126
	21st to end	Night	1 1 1 3 3 2 1 2 3 84%	3498
September	1st to 10th	Night	3 3 1 2 2 2 2 2 3 4 76%	1900
	11th to 20th	Night	2 2 1 2 1 2 3 1 2 4 78%	1949
	21st to end	Night	1 1 1 2 2 3 2 2 3 5% 77%	2090
October	1st to 10th	Night	2 1 2 1 1 2 1 2 4 84%	3641
	11th to 20th	Night	2 2 1 4 8% 2 2 2 3 5% 69%	3777
	21st to end	Night	3 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 2 4 79%	4121
November	1st to 10th	Night	3 2 1 2 3 2 3 2 4 6% 72%	2371
	11th to 20th	Night	3 3 1 3 2 2 3 2 4 6% 72%	2470
	21st to end	Night	5% 3 1 3 3 2 2 3 4 6% 67%	2470
December	1st to 10th	Night	8% 2 2 4 2 3 3 3 4 6% 63%	2470
	11th to 20th	Night	20% 5% 2 4 3 2 3 3 5% 8% 46%	3231
	21st to end	Night	15% 6% 1 4 4 4 3 3 5% 6% 49%	4862

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	10% 38% 3 24% 22% 3	2669
	11th to 20th	Day	20% 41% 13% 10% 13% 3	2860
	21st to end	Day	20% 42% 7% 13% 15% 3	3146
February	1st to 10th	Day	12% 64% 3 7% 7% 6%	1893
	11th to 20th	Day	9% 64% 3 4 11% 8%	1860
	21st to end	Day	9% 64% 3 8% 10% 5%	1570
March	1st to 10th	Day	21% 42% 5% 13% 14% 5%	3138
	11th to 20th	Day	6% 40% 12% 22% 11% 10%	3478
	21st to end	Day	16% 45% 10% 15% 11% 2	4065
April	1st to 10th	Day	9% 67% 5% 7% 9% 4	2280
	11th to 20th	Day	6% 65% 5% 6% 12% 5%	2252
	21st to end	Day	5% 66% 7% 7% 12% 3	2280
May	1st to 10th	Day	8% 41% 6% 11% 22% 13%	3800
	11th to 20th	Day	5% 39% 19% 17% 15% 5%	3950
	21st to end	Day	5% 39% 18% 23% 13% 2	4591
June	1st to 10th	Day	7% 64% 8% 8% 10% 3	2660
	11th to 20th	Day	6% 64% 5% 6% 11% 8%	2660
	21st to end	Day	6% 62% 4 6% 10% 11%	2660
July	1st to 10th	Day	4 34% 3 5% 6% 49%	4351
	11th to 20th	Day	8% 36% 5% 7% 9% 36%	4113
	21st to end	Day	4 34% 4 9% 20% 28%	4263
August	1st to 10th	Day	5% 35% 2 9% 27% 21%	3770
	11th to 20th	Day	3 36% 3 6% 20% 34%	3760
	21st to end	Day	3 35% 3 10% 20% 30%	4179
September	1st to 10th	Day	6% 59% 6% 5% 12% 13%	2280
	11th to 20th	Day	6% 58% 4 7% 16% 8%	2229
	21st to end	Day	3 58% 5% 6% 16% 12%	2090
October	1st to 10th	Day	4 35% 2 5% 12% 42%	3335
	11th to 20th	Day	6% 37% 4 12% 28% 13%	3161
	21st to end	Day	11% 35% 2 4 27% 20%	3448
November	1st to 10th	Day	3 57% 5% 6% 14% 15%	1777
	11th to 20th	Day	10% 59% 6% 7% 6% 12%	1710
	21st to end	Day	8% 60% 5% 7% 10% 11%	1710
December	1st to 10th	Day	12% 60% 2 9% 10% 7%	1710
	11th to 20th	Day	25% 49% 4 5% 9% 8%	1967
	21st to end	Day	23% 38% 6% 13% 13% 6%	2794
January	1st to 10th	Night	14% 38% 3 15% 24% 6%	4277
	11th to 20th	Night	21% 40% 8% 12% 15% 3	4110
	21st to end	Night	20% 40% 4 13% 19% 4	4521
February	1st to 10th	Night	11% 65% 4 5% 7% 8%	2284
	11th to 20th	Night	8% 63% 3 4 13% 9%	2219
	21st to end	Night	9% 64% 3 5% 13% 6%	1884
March	1st to 10th	Night	17% 44% 6% 10% 18% 4	3736
	11th to 20th	Night	7% 42% 6% 22% 14% 10%	3499
	21st to end	Night	16% 41% 7% 19% 15% 2	3586
April	1st to 10th	Night	9% 65% 3 8% 10% 5%	1900
	11th to 20th	Night	7% 65% 4 6% 12% 6%	1879
	21st to end	Night	4 64% 5% 9% 12% 5%	1900
May	1st to 10th	Night	5% 39% 3 12% 19% 21%	3180
	11th to 20th	Night	7% 38% 7% 20% 17% 11%	2946
	21st to end	Night	4 39% 5% 17% 25% 10%	2986
June	1st to 10th	Night	6% 65% 7% 7% 10% 5%	1520
	11th to 20th	Night	5% 64% 2 3 14% 11%	1520
	21st to end	Night	7% 62% 2 5% 10% 15%	1520
July	1st to 10th	Night	3 34% 2 3 7% 51%	2500
	11th to 20th	Night	6% 35% 3 8% 10% 39%	2727
	21st to end	Night	3 34% 2 9% 19% 33%	3062
August	1st to 10th	Night	5% 35% 1 8% 24% 26%	3156
	11th to 20th	Night	2 35% 1 3 15% 43%	3156
	21st to end	Night	2 35% 1 6% 18% 38%	3498
September	1st to 10th	Night	6% 58% 4 4 12% 16%	1900
	11th to 20th	Night	5% 58% 3 5% 15% 13%	1949
	21st to end	Night	4 58% 3 3 18% 14%	2090
October	1st to 10th	Night	2 35% 2 4 10% 47%	3641
	11th to 20th	Night	4 36% 4 8% 24% 24%	3777
	21st to end	Night	7% 35% 1 4 26% 26%	4121
November	1st to 10th	Night	4 57% 3 6% 15% 16%	2371
	11th to 20th	Night	8% 60% 4 6% 9% 14%	2470
	21st to end	Night	9% 60% 4 8% 9% 10%	2470
December	1st to 10th	Night	10% 60% 3 9% 11% 7%	2470
	11th to 20th	Night	24% 49% 4 5% 10% 9%	3231
	21st to end	Night	25% 39% 6% 10% 15% 5%	4862

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	17% 13% 28% 28% 14%	258
	11th to 20th	Day	15% 11% 26% 32% 13% 2	370
	21st to end	Day	11% 10% 35% 31% 11% 2	407
February	1st to 10th	Day	15% 13% 27% 27% 14% 4	457
	11th to 20th	Day	11% 16% 31% 28% 12% 2	455
	21st to end	Day	13% 16% 31% 29% 10% 2	382
March	1st to 10th	Day	14% 20% 31% 26% 9%	460
	11th to 20th	Day	13% 18% 31% 29% 8% 1	460
	21st to end	Day	11% 20% 32% 31% 6%	506
April	1st to 10th	Day	9% 15% 31% 32% 11% 2	460
	11th to 20th	Day	7% 15% 33% 34% 10% 2	452
	21st to end	Day	5% 12% 33% 35% 12% 4	460
May	1st to 10th	Day	11% 9% 33% 29% 15% 3	463
	11th to 20th	Day	5% 9% 28% 38% 18% 3	488
	21st to end	Day	7% 10% 29% 36% 17% 2	529
June	1st to 10th	Day	4 5% 21% 45% 22% 3	490
	11th to 20th	Day	2 4 23% 40% 26% 5%	490
	21st to end	Day	1 3 17% 45% 27% 7%	490
July	1st to 10th	Day	1 9% 50% 33% 7%	486
	11th to 20th	Day	1 1 6% 45% 38% 8%	484
	21st to end	Day	2 9% 42% 37% 10%	531
August	1st to 10th	Day	1 1 11% 50% 29% 8%	487
	11th to 20th	Day	1 1 10% 47% 36% 5%	477
	21st to end	Day	2 1 11% 50% 32% 4	539
September	1st to 10th	Day	2 2 15% 51% 25% 4	490
	11th to 20th	Day	3 3 23% 47% 21% 2	490
	21st to end	Day	1 5% 22% 48% 22% 3	490
October	1st to 10th	Day	2 7% 21% 47% 21% 1	490
	11th to 20th	Day	2 5% 27% 44% 17% 4	490
	21st to end	Day	4 8% 26% 36% 23% 4	539
November	1st to 10th	Day	3 11% 23% 40% 19% 5%	355
	11th to 20th	Day	7% 6% 29% 35% 19% 4	270
	21st to end	Day	6% 11% 24% 37% 18% 5%	270
December	1st to 10th	Day	8% 13% 31% 31% 15% 2	270
	11th to 20th	Day	10% 12% 26% 32% 15% 6%	198
	21st to end	Day	14% 19% 29% 28% 9% 2	198
January	1st to 10th	Night	13% 6% 24% 28% 18% 10%	760
	11th to 20th	Night	10% 4 24% 32% 23% 6%	760
	21st to end	Night	12% 7% 27% 32% 16% 6%	836
February	1st to 10th	Night	13% 8% 21% 30% 23% 5%	760
	11th to 20th	Night	9% 7% 28% 30% 18% 9%	744
	21st to end	Night	12% 8% 30% 28% 18% 4	628
March	1st to 10th	Night	12% 9% 22% 36% 18% 2	760
	11th to 20th	Night	9% 8% 22% 33% 24% 5%	760
	21st to end	Night	10% 8% 26% 33% 18% 4	836
April	1st to 10th	Night	8% 7% 26% 35% 20% 4	760
	11th to 20th	Night	5% 8% 25% 35% 23% 4	751
	21st to end	Night	4 7% 27% 34% 22% 7%	760
May	1st to 10th	Night	4 6% 25% 32% 27% 6%	760
	11th to 20th	Night	3 4 17% 37% 32% 7%	633
	21st to end	Night	3 6% 18% 36% 30% 7%	545
June	1st to 10th	Night	1 4 12% 41% 36% 7%	380
	11th to 20th	Night	1 1 13% 33% 41% 11%	380
	21st to end	Night	1 1 9% 31% 47% 11%	380
July	1st to 10th	Night	3 28% 53% 16%	370
	11th to 20th	Night	1 1 22% 52% 24%	499
	21st to end	Night	1 3 24% 47% 24%	652
August	1st to 10th	Night	2 1 6% 27% 49% 16%	756
	11th to 20th	Night	1 4 29% 47% 18%	752
	21st to end	Night	1 3 25% 53% 17%	836
September	1st to 10th	Night	2 1 9% 30% 44% 14%	760
	11th to 20th	Night	2 1 9% 40% 37% 11%	760
	21st to end	Night	1 2 11% 40% 36% 11%	760
October	1st to 10th	Night	3 2 15% 43% 32% 4	760
	11th to 20th	Night	5% 2 18% 37% 30% 9%	760
	21st to end	Night	4 4 18% 34% 30% 10%	836
November	1st to 10th	Night	4 5% 22% 34% 27% 8%	754
	11th to 20th	Night	6% 4 22% 34% 27% 7%	760
	21st to end	Night	7% 4 24% 35% 22% 8%	760
December	1st to 10th	Night	9% 6% 22% 33% 23% 7%	760
	11th to 20th	Night	13% 8% 23% 33% 19% 4	760
	21st to end	Night	10% 9% 25% 35% 16% 5%	836

Page generated at 2024-11-01 19:47:48. Version ac07

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