Clear Outside Weather Forecasts for Astronomers

[Stub Mandrel]

CO, Met Office and Meteoblue all help me plan ahead. CO is teh easiuest to use. The Alt-Cloud option may well prove useful as the existing one tends to be pessimistic.

I use satellite IR + radar rain to do my own predictions on the day. Rarely wrong and I can even use it to work out when I need to start bringing things in as rain approaches.

[PaulM]

This looks great and have just downloaded the Android app  indications are clear skies tonight where I am so will get the new telescope out 

[PaulM]

Bug report !!!

The website and the app on Android look to be a day out when compared to each other

Looking at the website its showing green between 16:00 and 22:00 for Wed 22nd - location of 53.39 and -3.02 - Birkenhead, Merseyside

On the app (Android) its showing the same exact same information (solar\lunar\cloud cover numbers etc) but for Tue 21st - same location

It seems the app and the website are a day out, I presume the website is correct and the app is wrong?

[Grant]

38 minutes ago, PaulM said:

Bug report !!!

The website and the app on Android look to be a day out when compared to each other

Looking at the website its showing green between 16:00 and 22:00 for Wed 22nd - location of 53.39 and -3.02 - Birkenhead, Merseyside

On the app (Android) its showing the same exact same information (solar\lunar\cloud cover numbers etc) but for Tue 21st - same location

It seems the app and the website are a day out, I presume the website is correct and the app is wrong?

It’s physically impossible for the app and website to show different things because the app is still showing the website - it’s all the same ?

When this happens it’s usually because you have the website set to Center on midnight and you view it before midday so the display shows the last twelve hours from yesterday in order to show this mornings forecast.

You can always check by seeing where the current hour is highlighted on the website - it has a blue box around it and a clock on the hour box - you will then see the forecasts match / line up exactly.

[Jkulin]

Grant I used to use the Clear Outside app until I discovered Scope Nights about a year ago, Scope night has only ever been wrong twice but clear outside tends to be a lot more inaccurate, is there any chance that Clear Outside can tap into Scope Nights weather reporting sites as it really is brilliantly accurate.

[PaulM]

1 hour ago, Grant said:

It’s physically impossible for the app and website to show different things because the app is still showing the website - it’s all the same ?

When this happens it’s usually because you have the website set to Center on midnight and you view it before midday so the display shows the last twelve hours from yesterday in order to show this mornings forecast.

You can always check by seeing where the current hour is highlighted on the website - it has a blue box around it and a clock on the hour box - you will then see the forecasts match / line up exactly.

Thanks - yes your right if you center on midday on the web page both the app and the website show the same - thanks for confirming

Edited August 21, 2018 by PaulM

[iwols]

22 hours ago, Jkulin said:

Grant I used to use the Clear Outside app until I discovered Scope Nights about a year ago, Scope night has only ever been wrong twice but clear outside tends to be a lot more inaccurate, is there any chance that Clear Outside can tap into Scope Nights weather reporting sites as it really is brilliantly accurate.

hi is this just an iphone app and not for the laptop?

[Stub Mandrel]

4 minutes ago, iwols said:

hi is this just an iphone app and not for the laptop?

clearoutside.com

 

[Jkulin]

29 minutes ago, iwols said:

hi is this just an iphone app and not for the laptop?

I find it with both.

Scope nights is an iOS app and not wishing to take anything away from Clearoutside, it is so accurate, that I trust it completely.

https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/scope-nights-astronomy-weather/id540120977?mt=8

They are looking at an Android App, but currently only for the iOS

I truly liked Clearoutside but found it inconsistent and a mate put me onto this and I have found it it 99% accurate with just the two minor failures, in fact I plan my days off around it.

[Grant]

23 hours ago, Jkulin said:

Grant I used to use the Clear Outside app until I discovered Scope Nights about a year ago, Scope night has only ever been wrong twice but clear outside tends to be a lot more inaccurate, is there any chance that Clear Outside can tap into Scope Nights weather reporting sites as it really is brilliantly accurate.

Scope nights only uses Met Office data from what I am aware and only offers three hourly predictions so it’s not something we plan to use as a data source.

I’ve personally not found it that accurate either and have heard similar feedback from others.

It seems to me that different forecasting models seem to work better for different people at different locations so one thing we are working on is building in multiple forecasts into Clear Outside so people can see multiple forecasts and also potentially only show their favoured sources.

There is already an additional cloud forecast available in Clear Outside (website only at present) - if you turn on the experimental features button at the bottom of the page it will then give you an additional cloud forecast.

[Jkulin]

Thanks Grant, I didn't want to take anything away from your company and apologise if it did, it wasn't my intention.

For me I have used both, all around the UK, France and Spain and Scope Nights, although you have to pay for it has proved so accurate, I'm not a programmer so bow to your knowledge: -

[iwols]

would be nice for a windows based app

[FLO]

1 hour ago, Jkulin said:

Thanks Grant, I didn't want to take anything away from your company and apologise if it did, it wasn't my intention.

@Jkulin Clear Outside is a gift from FLO to the astronomy community. A thank-you for their continued support.

We have put a lot of thought and energy into developing it but we won't lose sleep nor be offended if someone chooses to use an alternative ? 

HTH, 

Steve 

[RayD]

It's a great app and really appreciated as a gift.

Of course you will never beat V1.0 eyeballs and V2.1 upturned palm by way of forecasting suitability for astronomy, but Clear Outside comes a close second 

[souls33k3r]

16 minutes ago, RayD said:

It's a great app and really appreciated as a gift.

Of course you will never beat V1.0 eyeballs and V2.1 upturned palm by way of forecasting suitability for astronomy, but Clear Outside comes a close second 

Version 0.01 "Bald Head" comes to a very close second.

[Jkulin]

32 minutes ago, FLO said:

@Jkulin Clear Outside is a gift from FLO to the astronomy community. A thank-you for their continued support.

We have put a lot of thought and energy into developing it but we won't lose sleep nor be offended if someone chooses to use an alternative ? 

HTH, 

Steve 

Thanks Steve my intention was never to knock your "Gift" as indeed I know programming is a thankless task.

My reason for bringing it up was because I wondered if it was possible to pull the data that Scope Nights uses into Clearoutside as to me it seems very accurate, just a thought for the future.

[Stub Mandrel]

2 hours ago, Jkulin said:

Scope Nights, although you have to pay for it has proved so accurate,

Clear Outside makes a rod for its own back by offering a week-ahead forecast.

The very best on-the-night forecast is your own. Look at satellite images and see where the cloud is coming from and heading and combine this with your own assessment of sky quality.

[FLO]

On 22/08/2018 at 12:31, Jkulin said:

pull the data that Scope Nights uses into Clearoutside

Are you trolling us! 

Why would we do that? If, as Grant says, they use only Met Office data then, if we wanted the same, we would buy it direct from the Met Office. 

For more info regarding data used by Clear Outside please see the acknowledgments page. 

Making Clear Outside more like Scope Nights (i.e. 3-hourly forecasts, not hourly) would upset CO's current users who favour a more detailed forecast with additional astronomy info. 

FWIW I live practically next door to the Met Office (several of their staff are FLO customers) and use their App on my phone for daytime forecasts. I also use Sat-24 alongside Clear Outside.

Enjoy the fact we have so much choice and use whatever works for you ? 

Steve 

[Jkulin]

1 hour ago, FLO said:

Are you trolling us!

Blimey Steve, I was only trying to be helpful and deliberately not trying to wind anyone up, I'm surprised with your comments.

I wasn't suggesting that you buy the data from Scope Nights, I'm not that stupid, but obviously their data is represented in a more accurate way, whether it is because of their data source or because of the way the information is presented.

You offer a good product that could IMHO be better, that's all, I'll keep any future suggestions to myself in future.

Please remember that those who close their minds to suggestions more often are the one that miss out.

BTW I am also a regular client of FLO as well!

[iwols]

On 22/08/2018 at 12:40, Stub Mandrel said:

Clear Outside makes a rod for its own back by offering a week-ahead forecast.

The very best on-the-night forecast is your own. Look at satellite images and see where the cloud is coming from and heading and combine this with your own assessment of sky quality.

any web page in particular neil for the clouds forecast?

Edited August 23, 2018 by iwols

[Hallingskies]

I think it’s great that FLO have given the astro community access to its Clear Outside freebie.  It is a useful predictive tool but with the inevitable limitations that come with it being based on a huge and unpredictable variable -the weather!

I use it to see if there is a chance of a long period of clear skies, but tend to back it up with a look at Metcheck’s satellite cloud maps on the day ( https://www.metcheck.com/WEATHER/airmass.asp).  

Between them, they are pretty good at allowing me to set up of an evening with a good chance of shutting down when I want to, rather than being forced to by the weather.

[Stub Mandrel]

1 hour ago, iwols said:

any web page in particular neil for the clouds forecast?

Met office observations page - google 'met office rain radar' on a mobile or it will send you to the stunted mobile site with little functionality.

https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/public/weather/observation/map

Also meteoblue, but this always seems incomplete.

 

[Charic]

On 12/08/2014 at 22:38, Charic said:

I might re-install my link as the top bar has been red since first use. Must just be the normal weather. 

Thick as *Fog* or what, and not the clouds!

I'm sure I might be the only one, and yet its been four Years since my reference above, so I really don't mind mentioning the fact (in order to help others) just in-case someone has even 'thought the same' but dared to ask?
I've only just realised, now, tonight, that the Clear Outside Avatar  in my signature does not auto-update! the image is static....Doh!
I'm certain too that this fact has even curtailed a few observing sessions due to my ignorance lol. ?

Edited October 8, 2018 by Charic

[Grant]

25 minutes ago, Charic said:

Thick as *Fog* or what, and not the clouds!

I'm sure I might be the only one, and yet its been four Years since my reference above, so I really don't mind mentioning the fact (in order to help others) just in-case someone has even 'thought the same' but dared to ask?
I've only just realised, now, tonight, that the Clear Outside Avatar  in my signature does not auto-update! the image is static....Doh!
I'm certain too that this fact has even curtailed a few observing sessions due to my ignorance lol. ?

It’s not static - the image updates hourly - just make sure you’ve linked to it correctly and your browser isn’t caching it.

If you downloaded the image then yes it will be static.

[Charic]

Cheers grant, I've embedded the small forecast, second option for forums.

Edited October 8, 2018 by Charic