Madison
Clear Sky Chart
History

This sumarizes the distribution of each different forecast outcome for the Madison clear sky chart from 2005-11-06 to 2024-12-09.

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	13% 8% 3 8% 5% 4 4 4 6% 7% 38%	101775
	Night	14% 9% 3 7% 5% 4 4 3 5% 6% 39%	98102
Transparency	Day	44% 6% 12% 24% 13% 1	105302
	Night	45% 5% 11% 23% 14% 2	102715
Seeing	Day	16% 10% 29% 25% 14% 5%	16006
	Night	18% 9% 31% 30% 11% 1	25906

By Month

Percentage Cloud Cover SE (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	11% 14% 8% 14% 6% 5% 4 3 4 5% 27%	2527
	11th to 20th	Day	11% 12% 5% 15% 6% 5% 6% 7% 7% 6% 21%	2530
	21st to end	Day	17% 17% 9% 12% 5% 4 3 3 4 6% 21%	2915
February	1st to 10th	Day	11% 13% 6% 10% 5% 5% 5% 4 5% 6% 32%	1710
	11th to 20th	Day	13% 10% 3 8% 6% 5% 5% 3 5% 6% 36%	1782
	21st to end	Day	13% 11% 5% 11% 6% 4 4 3 6% 5% 32%	1570
March	1st to 10th	Day	14% 7% 3 6% 4 4 3 3 5% 7% 45%	3120
	11th to 20th	Day	11% 6% 3 8% 5% 5% 5% 4 5% 7% 43%	3367
	21st to end	Day	22% 12% 3 10% 5% 4 3 3 4 6% 28%	4119
April	1st to 10th	Day	18% 13% 3 7% 5% 4 3 4 5% 6% 31%	2280
	11th to 20th	Day	17% 10% 3 7% 5% 4 4 4 5% 6% 34%	2254
	21st to end	Day	19% 9% 3 7% 5% 5% 4 4 4 5% 34%	2343
May	1st to 10th	Day	16% 7% 2 7% 5% 5% 4 4 6% 7% 38%	4229
	11th to 20th	Day	14% 6% 2 7% 4 3 4 4 5% 6% 45%	4399
	21st to end	Day	14% 7% 2 6% 4 5% 5% 4 6% 8% 40%	4824
June	1st to 10th	Day	10% 5% 2 6% 5% 4 5% 3 6% 9% 44%	2660
	11th to 20th	Day	11% 6% 2 6% 4 5% 5% 4 6% 9% 42%	2660
	21st to end	Day	11% 6% 3 5% 5% 4 5% 5% 7% 9% 40%	2660
July	1st to 10th	Day	11% 6% 3 7% 5% 5% 5% 5% 8% 9% 36%	4440
	11th to 20th	Day	5% 3 1 5% 4 5% 5% 5% 7% 8% 51%	4440
	21st to end	Day	9% 5% 2 6% 5% 5% 5% 4 6% 9% 43%	4813
August	1st to 10th	Day	10% 5% 2 7% 5% 4 4 4 7% 9% 42%	4363
	11th to 20th	Day	11% 4 2 5% 4 4 5% 4 6% 8% 48%	3819
	21st to end	Day	10% 5% 3 6% 4 4 4 4 7% 9% 45%	4180
September	1st to 10th	Day	13% 5% 2 6% 4 5% 4 4 6% 7% 45%	2280
	11th to 20th	Day	13% 5% 2 5% 3 3 4 3 5% 8% 50%	2218
	21st to end	Day	13% 6% 3 7% 4 4 4 3 5% 6% 45%	2090
October	1st to 10th	Day	13% 6% 2 6% 4 4 3 3 5% 6% 48%	1938
	11th to 20th	Day	18% 9% 3 7% 5% 3 4 3 5% 8% 35%	1900
	21st to end	Day	17% 11% 3 6% 5% 4 3 2 4 6% 39%	1913
November	1st to 10th	Day	12% 9% 3 6% 4 4 4 3 4 7% 44%	1762
	11th to 20th	Day	13% 12% 3 9% 5% 5% 5% 3 5% 7% 32%	1785
	21st to end	Day	15% 12% 4 10% 5% 4 3 2 3 6% 35%	1600
December	1st to 10th	Day	13% 14% 4 8% 6% 6% 5% 2 5% 7% 30%	1584
	11th to 20th	Day	12% 14% 6% 11% 5% 4 5% 4 5% 7% 28%	1918
	21st to end	Day	20% 21% 8% 12% 5% 4 4 3 4 4 15%	2783
January	1st to 10th	Night	12% 13% 8% 11% 6% 3 4 3 4 5% 32%	4428
	11th to 20th	Night	13% 14% 7% 14% 6% 4 5% 5% 7% 5% 21%	4440
	21st to end	Night	16% 18% 8% 11% 5% 4 3 3 3 5% 23%	4750
February	1st to 10th	Night	10% 15% 4 9% 5% 5% 4 4 5% 6% 34%	2470
	11th to 20th	Night	12% 10% 3 8% 5% 4 5% 4 4 6% 40%	2284
	21st to end	Night	17% 11% 4 8% 4 4 4 3 4 6% 36%	1884
March	1st to 10th	Night	17% 8% 3 6% 4 4 4 3 4 5% 42%	3733
	11th to 20th	Night	10% 7% 2 6% 4 4 4 4 6% 8% 45%	3622
	21st to end	Night	24% 12% 4 9% 4 4 4 2 3 5% 29%	3510
April	1st to 10th	Night	17% 9% 3 6% 4 4 5% 4 5% 6% 37%	1900
	11th to 20th	Night	19% 8% 3 7% 4 3 4 3 5% 5% 38%	1875
	21st to end	Night	17% 8% 2 6% 4 4 4 4 5% 8% 38%	1835
May	1st to 10th	Night	18% 7% 2 7% 4 4 5% 4 6% 7% 37%	2668
	11th to 20th	Night	14% 6% 2 5% 5% 3 5% 4 5% 7% 43%	2506
	21st to end	Night	12% 8% 2 6% 5% 4 4 4 5% 7% 43%	2743
June	1st to 10th	Night	8% 5% 2 6% 5% 5% 4 5% 7% 9% 45%	1520
	11th to 20th	Night	13% 6% 1 5% 4 3 4 4 6% 9% 46%	1520
	21st to end	Night	9% 5% 3 6% 4 4 3 3 5% 8% 50%	1520
July	1st to 10th	Night	16% 6% 2 5% 3 4 4 3 6% 7% 43%	2530
	11th to 20th	Night	5% 3 1 5% 4 5% 4 3 5% 8% 56%	2530
	21st to end	Night	7% 4 1 5% 4 4 6% 4 6% 9% 49%	2750
August	1st to 10th	Night	11% 4 2 5% 4 3 4 3 6% 7% 49%	2574
	11th to 20th	Night	10% 6% 2 5% 4 3 4 4 5% 8% 49%	3012
	21st to end	Night	10% 4 2 5% 4 4 5% 4 5% 8% 50%	3476
September	1st to 10th	Night	9% 4 2 5% 3 3 3 3 6% 7% 55%	1900
	11th to 20th	Night	12% 4 1 5% 3 4 4 3 4 6% 53%	1943
	21st to end	Night	11% 5% 2 5% 4 4 4 4 5% 6% 50%	2090
October	1st to 10th	Night	11% 7% 2 6% 3 3 3 2 5% 7% 51%	2237
	11th to 20th	Night	16% 8% 2 6% 4 4 4 2 5% 6% 44%	2280
	21st to end	Night	17% 9% 3 7% 4 4 4 4 6% 7% 36%	2684
November	1st to 10th	Night	13% 8% 2 6% 4 3 4 3 4 6% 46%	2536
	11th to 20th	Night	14% 11% 4 8% 6% 5% 4 4 4 5% 34%	2610
	21st to end	Night	17% 11% 4 7% 5% 3 4 3 5% 6% 36%	2800
December	1st to 10th	Night	14% 12% 5% 9% 6% 5% 4 3 6% 6% 32%	2779
	11th to 20th	Night	15% 14% 5% 10% 5% 5% 5% 3 5% 5% 29%	3279
	21st to end	Night	21% 18% 5% 10% 6% 4 5% 3 4 5% 20%	4884

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	61% 4 13% 15% 6%	2528
	11th to 20th	Day	61% 4 13% 15% 7%	2530
	21st to end	Day	66% 4 10% 15% 5%	2915
February	1st to 10th	Day	53% 4 13% 19% 11% 1	1710
	11th to 20th	Day	50% 4 11% 23% 10% 2	1791
	21st to end	Day	54% 4 9% 19% 11% 2	1570
March	1st to 10th	Day	40% 6% 11% 28% 13% 2	3120
	11th to 20th	Day	40% 5% 11% 29% 13% 1	3367
	21st to end	Day	58% 5% 12% 17% 7% 2	4119
April	1st to 10th	Day	53% 5% 10% 21% 11%	2280
	11th to 20th	Day	50% 5% 10% 20% 12% 2	2254
	21st to end	Day	51% 6% 10% 19% 12% 2	2343
May	1st to 10th	Day	44% 6% 11% 22% 16% 1	4267
	11th to 20th	Day	40% 6% 10% 29% 14%	4403
	21st to end	Day	40% 8% 11% 22% 16% 3	4837
June	1st to 10th	Day	36% 7% 13% 26% 16% 1	2660
	11th to 20th	Day	38% 6% 12% 24% 18% 1	2660
	21st to end	Day	39% 8% 15% 23% 14% 2	2660
July	1st to 10th	Day	42% 7% 14% 27% 9% 1	4371
	11th to 20th	Day	27% 8% 15% 31% 18% 1	4365
	21st to end	Day	37% 8% 15% 20% 18% 2	4662
August	1st to 10th	Day	37% 7% 15% 29% 12% 1	4348
	11th to 20th	Day	34% 6% 14% 33% 13% 1	3857
	21st to end	Day	35% 6% 13% 28% 16% 1	4179
September	1st to 10th	Day	38% 6% 11% 25% 18% 1	2280
	11th to 20th	Day	32% 5% 12% 32% 17% 2	2218
	21st to end	Day	40% 5% 10% 30% 14% 1	2090
October	1st to 10th	Day	24% 4 5% 40% 26% 1	3224
	11th to 20th	Day	36% 4 8% 28% 22% 2	3140
	21st to end	Day	42% 4 10% 29% 13% 2	3125
November	1st to 10th	Day	41% 5% 15% 24% 13% 2	1762
	11th to 20th	Day	52% 5% 11% 20% 10% 1	1785
	21st to end	Day	53% 4 14% 22% 6% 1	1600
December	1st to 10th	Day	54% 4 16% 16% 8% 1	1584
	11th to 20th	Day	56% 3 15% 16% 7% 3	1915
	21st to end	Day	72% 6% 7% 9% 5%	2783
January	1st to 10th	Night	55% 5% 11% 20% 9%	4428
	11th to 20th	Night	62% 4 10% 15% 9%	4440
	21st to end	Night	66% 4 9% 15% 5%	4750
February	1st to 10th	Night	53% 4 10% 20% 12% 2	2470
	11th to 20th	Night	46% 5% 11% 22% 15% 1	2285
	21st to end	Night	51% 4 11% 20% 12% 3	1884
March	1st to 10th	Night	45% 5% 12% 24% 9% 5%	3733
	11th to 20th	Night	36% 4 11% 28% 18% 3	3622
	21st to end	Night	60% 4 7% 17% 11% 1	3510
April	1st to 10th	Night	47% 6% 10% 20% 15% 1	1900
	11th to 20th	Night	47% 4 7% 20% 18% 3	1875
	21st to end	Night	45% 6% 11% 25% 13% 2	1835
May	1st to 10th	Night	45% 7% 12% 16% 18% 2	2695
	11th to 20th	Night	40% 8% 10% 27% 15% 1	2507
	21st to end	Night	38% 7% 11% 19% 19% 5%	2751
June	1st to 10th	Night	33% 7% 12% 27% 20% 1	1520
	11th to 20th	Night	34% 6% 10% 25% 23% 2	1520
	21st to end	Night	34% 6% 16% 23% 18% 3	1520
July	1st to 10th	Night	40% 6% 14% 23% 13% 3	2490
	11th to 20th	Night	26% 6% 14% 34% 18% 2	2482
	21st to end	Night	31% 9% 15% 22% 20% 4	2662
August	1st to 10th	Night	33% 6% 14% 26% 20% 2	2565
	11th to 20th	Night	33% 6% 13% 32% 15% 1	3040
	21st to end	Night	33% 6% 12% 27% 19% 3	3476
September	1st to 10th	Night	29% 6% 11% 28% 24% 2	1900
	11th to 20th	Night	32% 6% 10% 32% 19% 2	1943
	21st to end	Night	34% 5% 10% 29% 20% 1	2090
October	1st to 10th	Night	25% 3 6% 37% 27% 2	3731
	11th to 20th	Night	33% 3 10% 29% 22% 2	3779
	21st to end	Night	43% 4 10% 27% 15% 1	4422
November	1st to 10th	Night	40% 4 11% 26% 16% 2	2536
	11th to 20th	Night	51% 5% 12% 19% 11% 1	2610
	21st to end	Night	50% 5% 13% 22% 10% 1	2800
December	1st to 10th	Night	53% 5% 12% 21% 8% 1	2779
	11th to 20th	Night	58% 4 12% 18% 8% 1	3281
	21st to end	Night	67% 5% 8% 15% 5%	4884

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	19% 13% 33% 26% 9% 1	270
	11th to 20th	Day	17% 16% 36% 24% 7% 1	270
	21st to end	Day	24% 10% 34% 27% 5%	297
February	1st to 10th	Day	13% 16% 42% 23% 6%	270
	11th to 20th	Day	19% 21% 34% 21% 5%	270
	21st to end	Day	21% 16% 45% 16% 3	225
March	1st to 10th	Day	16% 17% 44% 19% 5%	270
	11th to 20th	Day	21% 17% 33% 20% 6% 3	270
	21st to end	Day	28% 12% 32% 20% 7% 2	473
April	1st to 10th	Day	25% 13% 35% 22% 4	460
	11th to 20th	Day	25% 16% 26% 21% 10% 2	452
	21st to end	Day	25% 13% 28% 21% 11% 2	460
May	1st to 10th	Day	21% 12% 30% 26% 9% 2	545
	11th to 20th	Day	22% 9% 28% 26% 12% 2	675
	21st to end	Day	17% 9% 28% 24% 17% 5%	734
June	1st to 10th	Day	10% 8% 29% 31% 18% 5%	680
	11th to 20th	Day	14% 7% 32% 29% 14% 5%	680
	21st to end	Day	13% 8% 32% 27% 16% 5%	680
July	1st to 10th	Day	9% 5% 18% 30% 26% 12%	671
	11th to 20th	Day	10% 4 26% 30% 20% 9%	668
	21st to end	Day	7% 2 26% 35% 22% 8%	739
August	1st to 10th	Day	8% 4 19% 33% 25% 11%	676
	11th to 20th	Day	12% 5% 18% 27% 24% 14%	533
	21st to end	Day	10% 6% 19% 32% 23% 9%	539
September	1st to 10th	Day	15% 7% 24% 27% 20% 8%	490
	11th to 20th	Day	13% 3 20% 31% 23% 9%	490
	21st to end	Day	14% 12% 27% 24% 17% 6%	490
October	1st to 10th	Day	16% 12% 27% 24% 17% 4	338
	11th to 20th	Day	22% 17% 35% 18% 7%	300
	21st to end	Day	27% 15% 33% 19% 5% 1	330
November	1st to 10th	Day	16% 18% 37% 21% 6% 2	300
	11th to 20th	Day	21% 19% 35% 17% 9%	300
	21st to end	Day	23% 13% 43% 17% 5%	300
December	1st to 10th	Day	17% 20% 40% 16% 7% 1	294
	11th to 20th	Day	19% 13% 37% 21% 9% 1	270
	21st to end	Day	23% 18% 40% 16% 2	297
January	1st to 10th	Night	17% 15% 37% 22% 8% 1	950
	11th to 20th	Night	20% 11% 39% 24% 5% 1	950
	21st to end	Night	20% 12% 37% 26% 5% 1	1045
February	1st to 10th	Night	19% 10% 40% 24% 7%	950
	11th to 20th	Night	17% 14% 37% 27% 4	809
	21st to end	Night	23% 14% 38% 21% 4	628
March	1st to 10th	Night	21% 11% 36% 24% 7% 1	760
	11th to 20th	Night	16% 11% 36% 29% 7%	660
	21st to end	Night	24% 8% 32% 28% 7% 1	627
April	1st to 10th	Night	21% 12% 39% 24% 4	570
	11th to 20th	Night	24% 14% 28% 28% 7%	563
	21st to end	Night	21% 8% 34% 28% 9% 1	570
May	1st to 10th	Night	19% 10% 32% 30% 8% 1	570
	11th to 20th	Night	19% 7% 30% 34% 10% 1	561
	21st to end	Night	15% 5% 26% 38% 16% 1	617
June	1st to 10th	Night	11% 4 27% 42% 15% 1	570
	11th to 20th	Night	15% 5% 29% 38% 13% 1	570
	21st to end	Night	11% 4 26% 41% 17%	570
July	1st to 10th	Night	10% 2 14% 37% 33% 4	555
	11th to 20th	Night	7% 2 23% 42% 23% 2	552
	21st to end	Night	6% 1 19% 49% 22% 2	624
August	1st to 10th	Night	6% 2 17% 47% 25% 3	567
	11th to 20th	Night	11% 2 14% 41% 27% 5%	564
	21st to end	Night	11% 2 17% 43% 24% 3	627
September	1st to 10th	Night	11% 5% 23% 33% 24% 5%	570
	11th to 20th	Night	13% 3 22% 36% 24% 3	613
	21st to end	Night	12% 8% 26% 32% 19% 2	760
October	1st to 10th	Night	15% 6% 29% 32% 17% 1	760
	11th to 20th	Night	19% 13% 33% 27% 9%	760
	21st to end	Night	22% 12% 31% 27% 7% 1	836
November	1st to 10th	Night	16% 11% 37% 25% 9% 1	780
	11th to 20th	Night	20% 15% 39% 20% 6%	810
	21st to end	Night	22% 14% 34% 23% 7%	1000
December	1st to 10th	Night	21% 13% 39% 21% 6%	993
	11th to 20th	Night	24% 11% 35% 24% 5% 1	950
	21st to end	Night	29% 13% 34% 22% 3	1045

Page generated at 2024-12-06 02:54:53. Version ac07

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