Vermillion Cliffs Observatory
Clear Sky Chart
History

This sumarizes the distribution of each different forecast outcome for the Vermillion Cliffs Observatory clear sky chart from 2005-11-06 to 2025-11-18.

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 3 3 3 3 3 5% 6% 66%	135946
	Night	3 4 1 3 3 3 3 3 5% 6% 66%	131968
Transparency	Day	12% 38% 4 11% 18% 17%	130742
	Night	12% 38% 4 12% 18% 15%	128172
Seeing	Day	6% 10% 27% 32% 18% 6%	16298
	Night	5% 4 20% 41% 26% 3	26460

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	3 5% 2 5% 3 3 5% 3 4 7% 60%	4098
	11th to 20th	Day	2 3 1 3 2 2 2 2 4 5% 72%	4100
	21st to end	Day	6% 8% 2 4 3 3 3 3 4 5% 57%	4510
February	1st to 10th	Day	3 6% 2 4 3 2 4 3 5% 7% 62%	1814
	11th to 20th	Day	5% 6% 2 4 3 3 3 3 6% 6% 59%	1950
	21st to end	Day	5% 7% 2 5% 3 3 4 3 5% 6% 58%	1650
March	1st to 10th	Day	4 8% 2 4 3 3 4 3 4 5% 59%	4839
	11th to 20th	Day	4 7% 2 5% 4 4 5% 4 7% 8% 50%	5000
	21st to end	Day	4 6% 2 4 3 4 4 3 6% 9% 56%	5486
April	1st to 10th	Day	3 4 2 4 3 3 4 3 6% 7% 61%	2200
	11th to 20th	Day	3 4 1 3 2 3 4 3 4 7% 66%	2428
	21st to end	Day	3 3 1 4 3 2 3 3 5% 6% 66%	2600
May	1st to 10th	Day	6% 4 1 5% 4 3 3 2 5% 5% 62%	5880
	11th to 20th	Day	2 3 1 3 3 3 4 4 6% 7% 65%	5841
	21st to end	Day	2 2 1 2 2 2 3 3 4 6% 75%	6423
June	1st to 10th	Day	1 1 3 2 2 3 3 4 7% 74%	2600
	11th to 20th	Day	2 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 3 4 79%	2600
	21st to end	Day	1 2 2 2 2 3 2 4 5% 77%	2600
July	1st to 10th	Day	1 1 2 2 2 2 3 3 4 78%	5879
	11th to 20th	Day	2 2 1 4 3 4 4 4 6% 8% 63%	5880
	21st to end	Day	2 2 1 4 3 4 4 3 5% 6% 66%	6401
August	1st to 10th	Day	2 2 1 4 3 3 4 4 7% 9% 63%	5779
	11th to 20th	Day	2 1 1 3 3 3 4 3 5% 6% 70%	5798
	21st to end	Day	4 3 1 4 4 4 5% 3 6% 7% 59%	6204
September	1st to 10th	Day	3 2 1 3 3 3 4 3 6% 6% 65%	2200
	11th to 20th	Day	3 2 1 2 2 3 2 2 3 5% 76%	2200
	21st to end	Day	3 2 1 2 2 2 3 3 3 7% 73%	2200
October	1st to 10th	Day	3 2 1 2 2 2 2 2 3 4 79%	3537
	11th to 20th	Day	3 2 1 2 2 2 2 2 4 5% 75%	3250
	21st to end	Day	2 2 1 2 2 2 3 2 3 4 78%	3548
November	1st to 10th	Day	2 3 1 2 2 2 3 2 4 6% 74%	1919
	11th to 20th	Day	2 2 3 2 2 3 3 4 5% 74%	1863
	21st to end	Day	5% 5% 1 3 2 2 3 4 4 7% 66%	1800
December	1st to 10th	Day	2 3 1 3 2 2 2 4 6% 7% 67%	2950
	11th to 20th	Day	4 4 2 4 3 3 3 3 7% 9% 58%	3409
	21st to end	Day	4 5% 2 5% 3 4 5% 4 6% 7% 55%	4510
January	1st to 10th	Night	4 6% 2 4 2 3 3 3 5% 6% 63%	5867
	11th to 20th	Night	2 3 1 3 2 2 3 3 4 6% 71%	5880
	21st to end	Night	5% 7% 2 5% 3 4 3 3 4 7% 57%	6468
February	1st to 10th	Night	4 6% 1 3 3 3 3 2 4 7% 63%	2584
	11th to 20th	Night	4 6% 1 4 2 3 3 4 5% 6% 62%	2338
	21st to end	Night	5% 7% 3 5% 3 3 3 3 4 6% 59%	1980
March	1st to 10th	Night	7% 8% 1 4 3 3 3 3 3 7% 59%	5054
	11th to 20th	Night	6% 7% 2 5% 3 5% 5% 4 6% 8% 49%	5000
	21st to end	Night	5% 4 2 4 3 3 3 3 5% 6% 63%	5489
April	1st to 10th	Night	4 4 1 4 3 3 3 3 4 5% 66%	2200
	11th to 20th	Night	3 3 1 2 2 3 3 4 5% 7% 67%	1914
	21st to end	Night	4 2 1 3 2 3 3 3 4 6% 68%	1800
May	1st to 10th	Night	4 3 2 5% 3 3 4 3 4 6% 62%	4100
	11th to 20th	Night	3 4 1 4 2 3 3 2 4 5% 69%	4074
	21st to end	Night	2 1 1 2 2 2 3 2 5% 7% 73%	4474
June	1st to 10th	Night	2 2 1 2 2 2 2 3 5% 5% 75%	1800
	11th to 20th	Night	1 1 2 2 1 3 2 3 5% 79%	1800
	21st to end	Night	1 1 3 2 2 2 2 3 6% 78%	1800
July	1st to 10th	Night	1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 3 4 80%	4100
	11th to 20th	Night	2 3 1 4 4 4 5% 4 7% 8% 58%	4100
	21st to end	Night	2 2 1 3 3 4 4 4 6% 8% 65%	4472
August	1st to 10th	Night	1 1 1 3 3 3 5% 5% 7% 9% 61%	4033
	11th to 20th	Night	1 1 1 3 2 3 3 3 6% 7% 72%	4051
	21st to end	Night	4 3 1 5% 4 4 4 4 6% 8% 59%	4776
September	1st to 10th	Night	3 2 1 3 3 3 4 4 6% 7% 65%	2200
	11th to 20th	Night	3 2 1 3 1 2 2 2 4 5% 75%	2200
	21st to end	Night	2 2 1 2 2 2 3 2 3 4 76%	2200
October	1st to 10th	Night	2 2 1 2 2 2 2 2 3 4 76%	3659
	11th to 20th	Night	6% 3 1 3 3 3 3 2 4 6% 66%	3898
	21st to end	Night	2 1 1 2 1 2 2 2 4 6% 75%	4252
November	1st to 10th	Night	2 3 1 2 2 2 3 2 4 6% 73%	2595
	11th to 20th	Night	2 2 1 2 2 2 2 3 4 6% 74%	2691
	21st to end	Night	5% 4 1 4 2 2 2 2 4 6% 69%	2600
December	1st to 10th	Night	3 3 1 2 2 3 3 2 5% 7% 68%	4240
	11th to 20th	Night	5% 4 1 3 2 2 3 3 5% 10% 60%	4811
	21st to end	Night	6% 5% 2 4 3 3 3 3 5% 6% 59%	6468

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% 27% 8% 23% 16% 6%	4099
	11th to 20th	Day	11% 26% 11% 13% 18% 20%	4100
	21st to end	Day	21% 29% 4 15% 25% 7%	4510
February	1st to 10th	Day	11% 62% 4 11% 8% 5%	1814
	11th to 20th	Day	11% 60% 3 10% 13% 4	1960
	21st to end	Day	11% 61% 3 5% 13% 6%	1650
March	1st to 10th	Day	17% 33% 2 12% 24% 13%	4839
	11th to 20th	Day	20% 32% 6% 20% 17% 5%	5000
	21st to end	Day	17% 31% 6% 20% 20% 6%	5486
April	1st to 10th	Day	10% 61% 3 8% 12% 6%	2200
	11th to 20th	Day	8% 62% 2 6% 14% 8%	2431
	21st to end	Day	9% 62% 2 8% 15% 4	2600
May	1st to 10th	Day	19% 32% 3 10% 22% 13%	5880
	11th to 20th	Day	11% 31% 2 11% 28% 16%	5844
	21st to end	Day	7% 29% 2 6% 32% 24%	6424
June	1st to 10th	Day	3 61% 2 5% 12% 16%	2600
	11th to 20th	Day	3 60% 2 3 11% 22%	2600
	21st to end	Day	4 59% 1 2 10% 24%	2600
July	1st to 10th	Day	6% 25% 2 4 8% 55%	5816
	11th to 20th	Day	10% 27% 4 9% 17% 32%	5811
	21st to end	Day	9% 26% 4 11% 10% 40%	6217
August	1st to 10th	Day	13% 40% 6% 17% 15% 9%	4208
	11th to 20th	Day	12% 38% 6% 8% 17% 19%	4197
	21st to end	Day	12% 37% 3 10% 16% 22%	4471
September	1st to 10th	Day	7% 57% 3 7% 12% 14%	2200
	11th to 20th	Day	5% 56% 2 6% 13% 19%	2200
	21st to end	Day	7% 57% 3 6% 13% 14%	2200
October	1st to 10th	Day	5% 35% 1 4 13% 42%	3537
	11th to 20th	Day	9% 36% 2 12% 28% 12%	3250
	21st to end	Day	10% 36% 2 11% 27% 16%	3548
November	1st to 10th	Day	4 52% 2 7% 23% 12%	1919
	11th to 20th	Day	8% 55% 1 8% 19% 8%	1863
	21st to end	Day	11% 56% 4 9% 15% 5%	1800
December	1st to 10th	Day	8% 36% 4 17% 20% 16%	2950
	11th to 20th	Day	14% 32% 5% 22% 25% 2	3408
	21st to end	Day	20% 27% 8% 19% 20% 5%	4510
January	1st to 10th	Night	18% 27% 5% 25% 19% 6%	5867
	11th to 20th	Night	11% 26% 10% 17% 15% 20%	5880
	21st to end	Night	21% 28% 4 14% 20% 12%	6468
February	1st to 10th	Night	10% 62% 4 11% 8% 4	2584
	11th to 20th	Night	9% 61% 4 8% 12% 5%	2339
	21st to end	Night	10% 61% 2 7% 16% 5%	1980
March	1st to 10th	Night	17% 32% 3 15% 22% 11%	5054
	11th to 20th	Night	23% 32% 8% 19% 14% 4	5000
	21st to end	Night	16% 29% 4 21% 26% 4	5489
April	1st to 10th	Night	8% 61% 2 10% 13% 6%	2200
	11th to 20th	Night	6% 62% 3 7% 15% 7%	1914
	21st to end	Night	8% 62% 2 8% 17% 3	1800
May	1st to 10th	Night	18% 30% 4 13% 21% 13%	4097
	11th to 20th	Night	13% 29% 3 8% 30% 16%	4075
	21st to end	Night	7% 30% 2 8% 30% 24%	4474
June	1st to 10th	Night	5% 61% 2 5% 11% 17%	1800
	11th to 20th	Night	3 61% 2 4 8% 22%	1800
	21st to end	Night	4 59% 1 3 8% 25%	1800
July	1st to 10th	Night	7% 25% 2 3 10% 53%	4055
	11th to 20th	Night	13% 27% 6% 10% 15% 29%	4046
	21st to end	Night	9% 26% 5% 11% 11% 38%	4344
August	1st to 10th	Night	17% 40% 8% 15% 10% 11%	2928
	11th to 20th	Night	8% 38% 8% 11% 15% 20%	2928
	21st to end	Night	7% 36% 5% 8% 16% 27%	3436
September	1st to 10th	Night	8% 57% 4 6% 11% 13%	2200
	11th to 20th	Night	5% 56% 2 6% 13% 18%	2200
	21st to end	Night	8% 57% 2 6% 12% 14%	2200
October	1st to 10th	Night	6% 36% 1 4 10% 42%	3659
	11th to 20th	Night	15% 37% 2 7% 26% 12%	3898
	21st to end	Night	8% 36% 2 11% 25% 18%	4252
November	1st to 10th	Night	4 52% 2 9% 21% 11%	2595
	11th to 20th	Night	7% 55% 2 7% 20% 9%	2691
	21st to end	Night	10% 56% 3 9% 16% 8%	2600
December	1st to 10th	Night	10% 35% 3 15% 22% 14%	4240
	11th to 20th	Night	12% 32% 4 26% 23% 3	4811
	21st to end	Night	18% 27% 9% 20% 21% 6%	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
Month	Days in Month		Occurrence of each Forecast	Data Points
January	1st to 10th	Day	13% 7% 35% 36% 8% 1	300
	11th to 20th	Day	8% 11% 37% 30% 14% 2	300
	21st to end	Day	10% 6% 26% 38% 16% 3	330
February	1st to 10th	Day	9% 11% 32% 29% 15% 3	314
	11th to 20th	Day	11% 13% 38% 27% 9% 1	495
	21st to end	Day	7% 20% 37% 24% 11% 1	414
March	1st to 10th	Day	12% 17% 32% 26% 11% 2	500
	11th to 20th	Day	8% 18% 31% 29% 11% 2	500
	21st to end	Day	11% 21% 34% 26% 6% 1	550
April	1st to 10th	Day	9% 17% 33% 23% 15% 4	500
	11th to 20th	Day	9% 22% 32% 24% 11% 2	492
	21st to end	Day	7% 19% 29% 29% 12% 3	500
May	1st to 10th	Day	9% 16% 33% 28% 12% 3	503
	11th to 20th	Day	8% 13% 25% 30% 18% 5%	528
	21st to end	Day	9% 13% 27% 27% 16% 7%	573
June	1st to 10th	Day	3 6% 27% 37% 18% 9%	530
	11th to 20th	Day	4 12% 28% 34% 15% 7%	530
	21st to end	Day	2 7% 27% 38% 20% 7%	530
July	1st to 10th	Day	1 3 23% 38% 25% 10%	526
	11th to 20th	Day	2 2 16% 38% 27% 15%	524
	21st to end	Day	3 3 13% 39% 29% 13%	575
August	1st to 10th	Day	4 3 19% 37% 25% 12%	527
	11th to 20th	Day	3 3 19% 39% 23% 13%	517
	21st to end	Day	3 5% 18% 35% 25% 14%	583
September	1st to 10th	Day	4 3 18% 34% 29% 12%	530
	11th to 20th	Day	4 8% 25% 35% 21% 6%	530
	21st to end	Day	4 7% 24% 31% 26% 7%	530
October	1st to 10th	Day	6% 10% 24% 32% 19% 9%	493
	11th to 20th	Day	4 10% 24% 32% 22% 8%	330
	21st to end	Day	4 9% 25% 34% 23% 4	363
November	1st to 10th	Day	5% 10% 21% 35% 22% 7%	330
	11th to 20th	Day	5% 8% 27% 38% 16% 6%	321
	21st to end	Day	9% 8% 30% 35% 14% 4	300
December	1st to 10th	Day	5% 8% 30% 37% 17% 3	300
	11th to 20th	Day	5% 7% 34% 38% 14% 2	300
	21st to end	Day	15% 11% 29% 33% 12%	330
January	1st to 10th	Night	9% 5% 27% 40% 17% 4	800
	11th to 20th	Night	6% 4 24% 44% 19% 4	800
	21st to end	Night	9% 3 23% 41% 19% 4	880
February	1st to 10th	Night	6% 5% 30% 40% 17% 3	800
	11th to 20th	Night	6% 5% 29% 43% 15% 2	784
	21st to end	Night	9% 5% 31% 40% 14% 1	660
March	1st to 10th	Night	9% 10% 24% 40% 16% 2	800
	11th to 20th	Night	8% 7% 23% 38% 22% 3	800
	21st to end	Night	5% 7% 28% 41% 17% 2	880
April	1st to 10th	Night	6% 7% 30% 40% 16% 2	800
	11th to 20th	Night	3 7% 32% 40% 16% 1	657
	21st to end	Night	5% 10% 27% 41% 16% 2	600
May	1st to 10th	Night	5% 5% 29% 45% 15% 2	600
	11th to 20th	Night	3 6% 23% 39% 27% 2	591
	21st to end	Night	4 6% 23% 42% 22% 2	650
June	1st to 10th	Night	2 4 20% 46% 27% 2	600
	11th to 20th	Night	1 5% 21% 47% 24% 2	600
	21st to end	Night	1 2 16% 48% 33% 1	600
July	1st to 10th	Night	2 1 9% 43% 42% 3	585
	11th to 20th	Night	3 1 7% 38% 46% 4	582
	21st to end	Night	5% 1 6% 33% 50% 5%	657
August	1st to 10th	Night	3 1 6% 40% 47% 3	597
	11th to 20th	Night	2 1 6% 42% 46% 3	594
	21st to end	Night	4 1 6% 35% 46% 7%	735
September	1st to 10th	Night	4 2 7% 35% 47% 6%	800
	11th to 20th	Night	3 1 11% 44% 35% 7%	800
	21st to end	Night	2 2 13% 38% 37% 7%	800
October	1st to 10th	Night	5% 3 16% 47% 26% 3	800
	11th to 20th	Night	4 3 20% 42% 25% 7%	800
	21st to end	Night	3 2 22% 40% 28% 6%	880
November	1st to 10th	Night	3 2 17% 48% 25% 5%	820
	11th to 20th	Night	3 3 22% 47% 22% 4	828
	21st to end	Night	7% 3 23% 42% 22% 3	800
December	1st to 10th	Night	8% 3 22% 43% 19% 3	800
	11th to 20th	Night	9% 3 26% 42% 19% 2	800
	21st to end	Night	13% 4 26% 40% 16% 1	880

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