Mt. Lemmon Observatory
Clear Sky Chart
History

This sumarizes the distribution of each different forecast outcome for the Mt. Lemmon Observatory clear sky chart from 2005-11-06 to 2025-11-03.

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 4 1 4 3 3 4 3 5% 6% 63%	135671
	Night	3 4 1 4 3 3 3 3 5% 6% 65%	131888
Transparency	Day	18% 5% 7% 12% 27% 32%	130551
	Night	18% 5% 6% 12% 28% 32%	128011
Seeing	Day	8% 12% 28% 31% 17% 4	16206
	Night	6% 5% 19% 38% 28% 5%	26308

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 6% 2 6% 3 4 3 3 4 4 62%	4098
	11th to 20th	Day	3 4 1 3 3 3 3 2 3 3 73%	4100
	21st to end	Day	6% 6% 2 5% 2 3 4 4 5% 7% 57%	4510
February	1st to 10th	Day	6% 5% 2 4 3 2 3 3 5% 5% 62%	1825
	11th to 20th	Day	8% 6% 3 6% 3 3 3 3 4 4 58%	1950
	21st to end	Day	7% 5% 3 5% 3 3 3 2 4 5% 61%	1758
March	1st to 10th	Day	3 7% 2 4 3 3 3 2 4 5% 64%	4954
	11th to 20th	Day	5% 6% 2 5% 3 3 4 2 4 5% 62%	5000
	21st to end	Day	3 7% 2 4 3 3 3 3 5% 5% 62%	5486
April	1st to 10th	Day	3 4 1 3 3 3 3 2 5% 5% 69%	2200
	11th to 20th	Day	2 2 1 3 1 2 2 2 3 4 77%	2340
	21st to end	Day	2 2 1 2 2 2 3 2 3 5% 76%	2410
May	1st to 10th	Day	2 2 1 3 2 2 2 2 2 4 78%	5880
	11th to 20th	Day	1 1 1 3 3 2 3 2 3 4 77%	5841
	21st to end	Day	1 2 1 2 2 2 2 1 2 3 81%	6423
June	1st to 10th	Day	3 3 1 3 2 2 2 2 4 7% 71%	2600
	11th to 20th	Day	1 2 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 4 82%	2600
	21st to end	Day	3 3 2 4 3 4 4 3 5% 7% 62%	2600
July	1st to 10th	Day	2 2 1 4 4 4 5% 4 6% 7% 61%	5879
	11th to 20th	Day	3 3 2 5% 5% 5% 7% 6% 9% 11% 45%	5880
	21st to end	Day	4 4 2 6% 5% 6% 7% 7% 10% 11% 38%	6401
August	1st to 10th	Day	3 3 1 4 4 5% 6% 6% 9% 12% 46%	5779
	11th to 20th	Day	2 3 1 5% 4 5% 6% 6% 9% 15% 43%	5765
	21st to end	Day	3 3 2 5% 5% 5% 6% 5% 8% 10% 49%	5925
September	1st to 10th	Day	7% 6% 1 5% 4 5% 5% 4 6% 7% 51%	2200
	11th to 20th	Day	4 3 1 4 2 4 4 4 5% 6% 64%	2200
	21st to end	Day	3 3 1 4 3 4 4 3 5% 5% 67%	2200
October	1st to 10th	Day	3 3 1 3 2 3 3 2 4 5% 72%	3440
	11th to 20th	Day	3 2 1 3 1 2 3 2 3 3 78%	3250
	21st to end	Day	1 2 1 2 1 2 2 2 4 4 79%	3548
November	1st to 10th	Day	2 2 1 2 2 2 3 3 5% 6% 71%	1979
	11th to 20th	Day	2 3 2 4 3 3 3 2 3 4 70%	1981
	21st to end	Day	6% 6% 2 6% 3 2 3 3 5% 6% 59%	1800
December	1st to 10th	Day	4 2 1 3 2 2 3 3 4 4 72%	2950
	11th to 20th	Day	4 6% 2 5% 3 3 3 4 7% 5% 58%	3409
	21st to end	Day	5% 5% 1 5% 3 3 3 3 4 6% 63%	4510
January	1st to 10th	Night	3 6% 1 5% 3 4 4 4 5% 5% 60%	5867
	11th to 20th	Night	3 2 1 2 2 2 2 2 3 4 77%	5880
	21st to end	Night	8% 7% 3 5% 3 3 3 3 4 6% 55%	6468
February	1st to 10th	Night	5% 5% 2 5% 3 2 4 3 4 5% 63%	2571
	11th to 20th	Night	7% 6% 2 5% 3 3 3 3 4 5% 58%	2338
	21st to end	Night	6% 6% 1 4 4 3 4 3 5% 4 61%	1870
March	1st to 10th	Night	2 4 2 5% 4 3 4 2 3 5% 66%	4940
	11th to 20th	Night	5% 7% 1 3 3 3 3 2 4 5% 63%	5000
	21st to end	Night	4 5% 2 4 3 3 3 3 5% 6% 63%	5489
April	1st to 10th	Night	2 4 1 3 3 2 3 3 4 5% 69%	2200
	11th to 20th	Night	2 3 1 4 3 2 2 2 3 4 74%	2007
	21st to end	Night	2 2 1 1 2 2 1 2 2 4 81%	1985
May	1st to 10th	Night	1 2 1 2 2 2 2 2 3 3 82%	4100
	11th to 20th	Night	1 2 1 2 2 3 3 2 4 4 77%	4074
	21st to end	Night	1 1 1 2 1 2 1 2 2 3 84%	4474
June	1st to 10th	Night	3 3 1 2 2 2 3 3 4 6% 73%	1800
	11th to 20th	Night	2 1 2 2 1 1 2 3 4 83%	1800
	21st to end	Night	3 3 2 3 4 3 4 3 5% 5% 65%	1800
July	1st to 10th	Night	3 3 1 4 4 4 4 4 5% 6% 61%	4100
	11th to 20th	Night	2 3 2 5% 5% 6% 8% 6% 10% 12% 40%	4100
	21st to end	Night	2 4 2 5% 5% 6% 7% 7% 11% 14% 37%	4472
August	1st to 10th	Night	3 3 2 5% 5% 5% 6% 5% 8% 10% 48%	4033
	11th to 20th	Night	2 3 1 5% 4 6% 7% 6% 9% 13% 44%	4081
	21st to end	Night	3 3 1 4 3 4 5% 5% 8% 11% 53%	5036
September	1st to 10th	Night	7% 5% 2 6% 5% 3 4 4 6% 7% 53%	2200
	11th to 20th	Night	3 3 1 4 3 3 3 3 4 5% 70%	2200
	21st to end	Night	3 2 1 4 2 3 3 3 4 4 71%	2200
October	1st to 10th	Night	1 2 2 3 2 2 3 3 4 5% 73%	3755
	11th to 20th	Night	2 2 1 2 2 1 2 1 3 4 81%	3898
	21st to end	Night	1 2 1 2 1 1 2 2 3 4 81%	4252
November	1st to 10th	Night	2 3 1 4 2 2 3 3 4 5% 72%	2364
	11th to 20th	Night	2 3 1 4 3 2 3 2 4 4 72%	2415
	21st to end	Night	7% 5% 1 5% 4 4 3 3 4 5% 59%	2600
December	1st to 10th	Night	4 3 1 2 2 2 2 2 3 5% 75%	4240
	11th to 20th	Night	4 5% 3 6% 4 4 3 2 3 5% 61%	4811
	21st to end	Night	5% 5% 2 5% 3 3 4 3 4 5% 61%	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	21% 5% 5% 7% 37% 25%	4099
	11th to 20th	Day	16% 3 2 8% 32% 38%	4100
	21st to end	Day	22% 6% 6% 11% 26% 30%	4510
February	1st to 10th	Day	22% 2 5% 11% 23% 37%	1825
	11th to 20th	Day	27% 4 6% 12% 23% 28%	1960
	21st to end	Day	24% 2 4 10% 27% 34%	1758
March	1st to 10th	Day	18% 4 5% 6% 33% 34%	4954
	11th to 20th	Day	18% 7% 6% 13% 32% 25%	5000
	21st to end	Day	20% 5% 4 11% 39% 22%	5486
April	1st to 10th	Day	16% 1 3 7% 37% 36%	2200
	11th to 20th	Day	12% 2 2 6% 27% 50%	2343
	21st to end	Day	10% 1 4 7% 31% 46%	2410
May	1st to 10th	Day	10% 4 2 6% 30% 48%	5880
	11th to 20th	Day	8% 6% 3 6% 27% 51%	5844
	21st to end	Day	9% 3 2 3 16% 67%	6424
June	1st to 10th	Day	13% 2 4 5% 27% 50%	2600
	11th to 20th	Day	8% 1 2 3 17% 68%	2600
	21st to end	Day	19% 3 8% 8% 20% 42%	2600
July	1st to 10th	Day	19% 7% 6% 20% 21% 27%	5816
	11th to 20th	Day	26% 11% 17% 27% 16% 4	5811
	21st to end	Day	30% 12% 18% 16% 17% 7%	6217
August	1st to 10th	Day	30% 13% 19% 18% 12% 8%	4208
	11th to 20th	Day	25% 11% 16% 24% 19% 5%	4176
	21st to end	Day	24% 11% 14% 18% 22% 11%	4264
September	1st to 10th	Day	28% 6% 9% 19% 18% 20%	2200
	11th to 20th	Day	19% 5% 6% 14% 28% 29%	2200
	21st to end	Day	18% 5% 5% 10% 31% 31%	2200
October	1st to 10th	Day	11% 4 5% 9% 26% 45%	3440
	11th to 20th	Day	10% 4 2 6% 39% 38%	3250
	21st to end	Day	8% 2 2 6% 27% 54%	3548
November	1st to 10th	Day	12% 2 5% 12% 38% 32%	1979
	11th to 20th	Day	18% 2 3 10% 30% 37%	1981
	21st to end	Day	24% 4 4 11% 23% 33%	1800
December	1st to 10th	Day	14% 3 4 10% 43% 26%	2950
	11th to 20th	Day	22% 3 4 10% 29% 31%	3408
	21st to end	Day	20% 5% 4 19% 32% 20%	4510
January	1st to 10th	Night	18% 6% 5% 7% 41% 22%	5867
	11th to 20th	Night	10% 3 2 13% 34% 37%	5880
	21st to end	Night	26% 7% 4 11% 28% 25%	6468
February	1st to 10th	Night	23% 3 5% 12% 21% 37%	2571
	11th to 20th	Night	25% 4 5% 13% 28% 25%	2339
	21st to end	Night	23% 4 4 9% 27% 32%	1870
March	1st to 10th	Night	16% 6% 4 8% 36% 32%	4940
	11th to 20th	Night	16% 8% 4 15% 34% 23%	5000
	21st to end	Night	19% 4 4 15% 39% 20%	5489
April	1st to 10th	Night	15% 2 4 9% 37% 33%	2200
	11th to 20th	Night	15% 1 2 8% 28% 46%	2007
	21st to end	Night	9% 2 2 9% 32% 47%	1985
May	1st to 10th	Night	8% 3 2 10% 36% 42%	4097
	11th to 20th	Night	7% 5% 4 8% 25% 52%	4075
	21st to end	Night	6% 3 1 3 18% 69%	4474
June	1st to 10th	Night	12% 2 3 6% 24% 53%	1800
	11th to 20th	Night	8% 1 3 3 15% 70%	1800
	21st to end	Night	21% 3 6% 6% 18% 47%	1800
July	1st to 10th	Night	20% 6% 7% 17% 22% 28%	4055
	11th to 20th	Night	28% 11% 17% 23% 15% 6%	4046
	21st to end	Night	28% 10% 25% 13% 14% 9%	4344
August	1st to 10th	Night	31% 10% 20% 17% 12% 9%	2928
	11th to 20th	Night	26% 8% 17% 23% 19% 8%	2946
	21st to end	Night	24% 7% 16% 18% 22% 13%	3627
September	1st to 10th	Night	29% 6% 8% 19% 18% 20%	2200
	11th to 20th	Night	17% 3 5% 16% 29% 31%	2200
	21st to end	Night	16% 3 5% 13% 32% 31%	2200
October	1st to 10th	Night	12% 4 5% 8% 26% 44%	3755
	11th to 20th	Night	9% 2 3 12% 35% 40%	3898
	21st to end	Night	7% 3 2 8% 27% 52%	4252
November	1st to 10th	Night	13% 2 4 12% 34% 35%	2364
	11th to 20th	Night	15% 2 4 13% 29% 37%	2415
	21st to end	Night	24% 3 5% 12% 26% 30%	2600
December	1st to 10th	Night	14% 2 3 12% 39% 30%	4240
	11th to 20th	Night	23% 5% 4 9% 25% 34%	4811
	21st to end	Night	22% 4 5% 13% 31% 26%	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	18% 11% 31% 31% 9%	300
	11th to 20th	Day	12% 10% 33% 31% 12% 2	300
	21st to end	Day	10% 12% 34% 30% 12% 1	330
February	1st to 10th	Day	10% 16% 32% 28% 11% 3	325
	11th to 20th	Day	19% 20% 35% 23% 4	495
	21st to end	Day	18% 23% 35% 19% 5%	414
March	1st to 10th	Day	15% 22% 35% 21% 6% 1	500
	11th to 20th	Day	15% 21% 30% 23% 10% 2	500
	21st to end	Day	11% 28% 34% 20% 6% 1	550
April	1st to 10th	Day	9% 20% 34% 22% 13% 3	500
	11th to 20th	Day	9% 24% 35% 21% 9% 2	492
	21st to end	Day	8% 22% 32% 25% 10% 3	500
May	1st to 10th	Day	7% 16% 38% 25% 11% 3	503
	11th to 20th	Day	5% 15% 35% 30% 13% 2	528
	21st to end	Day	5% 13% 38% 32% 11% 1	573
June	1st to 10th	Day	5% 10% 33% 33% 16% 3	530
	11th to 20th	Day	2 13% 34% 35% 15% 2	530
	21st to end	Day	5% 6% 29% 40% 18% 3	530
July	1st to 10th	Day	4 2 17% 45% 28% 4	526
	11th to 20th	Day	6% 2 15% 39% 29% 9%	524
	21st to end	Day	6% 1 14% 33% 36% 9%	575
August	1st to 10th	Day	6% 2 12% 40% 30% 11%	527
	11th to 20th	Day	5% 2 11% 39% 34% 9%	517
	21st to end	Day	4 2 12% 37% 33% 11%	583
September	1st to 10th	Day	9% 5% 20% 38% 23% 5%	530
	11th to 20th	Day	4 6% 24% 41% 19% 6%	530
	21st to end	Day	6% 11% 28% 33% 15% 7%	530
October	1st to 10th	Day	5% 11% 29% 30% 20% 5%	435
	11th to 20th	Day	8% 9% 27% 32% 21% 3	330
	21st to end	Day	4 11% 26% 34% 21% 3	363
November	1st to 10th	Day	5% 12% 31% 35% 16% 1	306
	11th to 20th	Day	9% 7% 30% 36% 17% 1	300
	21st to end	Day	11% 17% 31% 28% 12% 1	300
December	1st to 10th	Day	9% 10% 33% 36% 12% 1	300
	11th to 20th	Day	11% 10% 37% 32% 9% 1	300
	21st to end	Day	15% 18% 30% 29% 8% 1	330
January	1st to 10th	Night	10% 3 24% 40% 20% 4	800
	11th to 20th	Night	8% 6% 23% 40% 20% 4	800
	21st to end	Night	14% 5% 21% 40% 17% 3	880
February	1st to 10th	Night	8% 5% 26% 35% 21% 5%	800
	11th to 20th	Night	10% 7% 27% 39% 16% 2	784
	21st to end	Night	9% 9% 29% 37% 14% 2	660
March	1st to 10th	Night	9% 10% 31% 35% 14% 2	800
	11th to 20th	Night	9% 8% 24% 32% 23% 5%	800
	21st to end	Night	7% 6% 25% 40% 20% 3	880
April	1st to 10th	Night	4 7% 23% 45% 20% 2	800
	11th to 20th	Night	4 8% 27% 41% 19% 1	623
	21st to end	Night	3 7% 28% 39% 21% 3	600
May	1st to 10th	Night	3 8% 22% 46% 19% 2	600
	11th to 20th	Night	3 5% 24% 44% 21% 3	591
	21st to end	Night	2 4 24% 45% 23% 2	650
June	1st to 10th	Night	3 2 15% 46% 31% 3	600
	11th to 20th	Night	2 2 18% 46% 29% 3	600
	21st to end	Night	3 2 14% 37% 40% 4	600
July	1st to 10th	Night	4 2 9% 34% 46% 6%	585
	11th to 20th	Night	4 1 7% 28% 53% 8%	582
	21st to end	Night	6% 1 6% 25% 49% 13%	657
August	1st to 10th	Night	4 1 3 23% 55% 13%	597
	11th to 20th	Night	5% 1 5% 25% 55% 9%	594
	21st to end	Night	5% 1 4 25% 54% 13%	677
September	1st to 10th	Night	7% 3 9% 30% 40% 11%	800
	11th to 20th	Night	4 1 10% 39% 38% 8%	800
	21st to end	Night	3 2 16% 39% 32% 8%	800
October	1st to 10th	Night	4 3 20% 42% 27% 4	800
	11th to 20th	Night	5% 4 16% 42% 28% 6%	800
	21st to end	Night	4 4 19% 38% 27% 9%	880
November	1st to 10th	Night	3 5% 21% 38% 26% 6%	788
	11th to 20th	Night	4 4 18% 43% 28% 2	800
	21st to end	Night	8% 7% 25% 36% 20% 4	800
December	1st to 10th	Night	10% 4 22% 39% 22% 3	800
	11th to 20th	Night	10% 6% 24% 39% 18% 4	800
	21st to end	Night	9% 7% 23% 38% 19% 4	880

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