Accuracy of Clear Outside

[Mognet]

3 hours ago, johninderby said:

Or if you are realy desperate. 😁😁😁

Googling came upwith this.

https://www.wattpad.com/256438176-book-of-spells-sunny-skies-spell

Given the amount of time that water takes to evaporate, we'll have to start with a very tiny bowl if we want to stargaze the same night!

[TopperHenly]

Thanks to all who have replied.

I had a feeling that CO is very much like normal weather forecasts where it's more accurate closer to the date. It sounds like a case of just checking forecasts daily and looking out the window at the time!!!

[KP82]

In my area, BBC is more accurate than any other weather apps I've come across, CO, AccuWeather and the built-in google weathers on my android phones. For example, last night there was light shower from 20:00 until 21:00. Only BBC accurately predicted that and its weather map was also pretty accurate in terms of the amount of cloud cover. CO only predicted it was going to be cloudy. AccuWeather and Google were even worse and showed almost clear sky until 3:00. If I listened to the latter two and set up my imaging rig (new moon last night), I'd be utterly disappointed.

[wimvb]

The accuracy of CO varies:

[paraman]

On 13/11/2020 at 08:07, valleyman said:

We don't need Weather Forecast here in Wales. It just Rains. 🤣

How funny I was about to say the same, its either raining or about to rain.

[Zermelo]

On 16/11/2020 at 23:19, wimvb said:

The accuracy of CO varies:

You're saying you've never seen the moon executing its retrograde motion?
It happens once every 17 centuries, on the Friday after the fourth blue moon of the year.

[Second Time Around]

I use 7 different web sites/apps.  They all have their advantages.

 

Clear Outside - Astro forecast 7 days ahead.  I find the traffic light colours to be pessimistic so look at each day/night.

Meteoblue - Astro forecast 3 days ahead on free version, Multimodel gives alternative forecasts, lots of maps

Meteoradar - past and forecast radar rainfall, past and forecast satellite clouds and sunshine (unfortunately not night time cloud)

Wunderground - love the graphical option, especially hourly cloud cover and dewpoint!  It has the most accurate rainfall radar forecast I've found as it also compensates for rain dying out, for example as temperatures cool off.  You access this by clicking Wondermap. 

Met Office - updated frequently, shows wind gusts, surface pressure charts

BBC - well-explained monthly long range forecast

Netweather - my latest addition, excellent 16 day jetstream forecast 

 

Does anyone know of any night time cloud extrapolations from infrared satellite images for the UK please?

 

Edited December 18, 2020 by Second Time Around

[johninderby]

So who is going to be right for tonights forecast? 🤔

Edited November 19, 2020 by johninderby

[wimvb]

1 hour ago, johninderby said:

So who is going to be right for tonights forecast? 🤔

Well, unless it rains without clouds in your neck of the woods, I’d put my money on CO.

[Hallingskies]

18 hours ago, Second Time Around said:

I use 7 different web sites/apps.  They all have their advantages.

 

Clear Outside - Astro forecast 7 days ahead.  I find the traffic light colours to be pessimistic so look at each day/night.

Meteoblue - Astro forecast 3 days ahead on free version, Multimodel gives alternative forecasts, lots of maps

Wunderground - love the graphical option, especially hourly cloud cover and dewpoint! 

Meteoradar - past and forecast radar rainfall, past and forecast satellite clouds and sunshine (unfortunately not night time cloud)

Met Office - updated frequently, shows wind gusts, surface pressure charts

BBC - well-explained monthly long range forecast

Netweather - my latest addition, excellent 16 day jetstream forecast 

 

Does anyone know of any night time cloud extrapolations from infrared satellite images for the UK please?

 

https://www.ventusky.com/

[Zermelo]

Well, finally some stars!

I think (just to prove me wrong) CO was actually not bad this time (although this forecast was only from yesterday lunchtime, to be fair it had been promising some clear stuff on Wednesday for several days)

There was a bit of low cloud came in just before 22.00 but it cleared away and I managed to carry on until 23.30, when it really did close in. But most of the time, it was completely clear.

Meteoblue turned out to be too pessimistic:

Whereas Nightshift (on my phone) had forecast "excellent", which was fair enough (the seeing wasn't good, but the breeze settled down after a while).

 

[Second Time Around]

46 minutes ago, Hallingskies said:

https://www.ventusky.com/

Thanks, but this looks like a medium term computer forecast rather than short term extrapolation from satellite pics.

Meteoradar does what I'm after, but only for daylight hours, that's of course useful for solar observing.

I'd add that a number of sites, including Meteoradar, provide rainfall radar extrapolation.  The most accurate I've found is Wunderground that  also compensates for rain dying out, for example as temperatures cool off.   You access this by clicking Wondermap.  I'll add this to my original post.

Thanks again.

Edited November 19, 2020 by Second Time Around

[SmokeyJoe]

I use Co in combination with Nightshift, it shows the nights observing at a glance in a graphical format along with real time cloud maps, details of astronomical bodies, phases of the moon, and much more.  Based on meteoblue, find it easier to read but not sure if it is more accurate than CO.  Free on android again not sure about I phones. 

[TopperHenly]

Co had given last Thursday as a night with not much cloud coverage in my area but when it came to that night, the night sky was totally covered.

It does sound the only sure way is to pop your head out of the window at the time!!!

[Starslayer]

New to this but not the weather. So far for me CO has been rubbish.  The weather has been rubbish any way but again tonight CO says green for the last 3 hours until 0900. Still pea soup out there. Not even a glimmer of the full moon. So, maybe unfairly at this early junction I have no faith in it whatsoever.  Inaccurate forecasting ahead is just a fact of life. Completely wrong in real time is inexcusable.  Have always found Accuweather the best. At least the real time is ok within 30 mins or so.   Handy when nipping the dog out.   Much to be said for “look out the window”.  
 

Edit - so this morning it indicates red red red. Not a could in the sky.  Admittedly broken cloud by midday but not a complete “black out” and I have some quality time with he sun. 

Edited May 27, 2021 by Starslayer