Strong, gusty winds will make conditions unsuitable for astronomy with portable equipment this evening according to the weather forecasts. We don’t want to disappoint the public with shaky views where they will see little if anything of interest.
Weather forecasts agree that thunderstorms will be gone and the skies clear by or shortly after sundown. Transparency is likely to be excellent according to the clear sky chart forecast. Seeing is forecast to be bad, improving to poor later in the evening. Winds on the knoll where telescopes are set up are the problem.
Winds will slowly diminish and conditions for Sunday evening should be good. I hope than many will join the group at Great Meadows for the public night tomorrow.
Clear skies (and less wind),
R J ‘Tree’ Greenwood
Please read the C.M. Crockett Page for park details.
Most forecasts predict cloudy skies with a 10 to 20 percent likelihood of light rain or drizzle. Conditions won’t be suitable for astronomy.
Even though the Clear Sky Chart currently predicts only 10% cloud cover <http://www.cleardarksky.com/c/CrckttPrkVAkey.html>, most of the other
weather-guessers say that the evening will be cloudy with a significant chance of precipitation
<https://weather.com/weather/hourbyhour/l/22728:4:US>
<http://www.accuweather.com/en/us/midland-va/22728/hourly-weather-forecast/2111280?hour=19>.
Please read the C.M. Crockett Page for park details.
Cloudy skies and a 10-20% chance of precipitation this evening means that the Crockett Park Public Night is again canceled.
Although the Clear Sky Chart[1] predicts only 10% cloud cover at 21:00 local time, most forecasts [2][3][4] show mostly cloudy skies with a significant chance of precipitation through this evening. Transparency prediction ranges from POOR to TOO CLOUDY TO FORECAST. Not a good night for star gazing.
Hoping for clear skies soon,
Tree Greenwood
Crockett Park Coordinator
Please read the C.M. Crockett Page for park details.
Weather forecasts force cancellation of our Public Night again. The Clear Sky chart[1] predicts transparency and seeing mostly as “Too cloudy to forecast”. As of 11:00 local time, all the other forecasts [2][3][4] predict mostly cloudy to overcast skies with a 15 to 50 percent chance of a thunderstorm or rain. Conditions won’t be suitable for astronomical observations.
Hoping for clear skies for the eclipse and our next public night,
R. J. ‘Tree’ Greenwood
Site Coordinator
Please read the C.M. Crockett Page for park details.
Please read the C.M. Crockett Page for park details.
Please read the C.M. Crockett Page for park details.
The public night scheduled for 18 November is canceled. Although the Clear Sky Chart[1] currently says only 50% of the sky will be covered by clouds, all of the other forecasts predict “cloudy”[2] or “mostly cloudy”[3][4] with a chance of precipitation. DC television weather-guessers all agree it will be mostly cloudy tomorrow evening with differing opinions on the timing and amount of precipitation.
Hoping for clear skies for future public nights,
R. J. ‘Tree’ Greenwood
Crockett Park Site Coordinator
[1] http://www.cleardarksky.com/c/CrckttPrkVAkey.html
[2] https://www.accuweather.com/en/us/midland-va/22728/hourly-weather-forecast/2111280?hour=40
[3] https://weather.com/weather/hourbyhour/l/22728:4:US
[4] https://www.wunderground.com/hourly/us/va/midland/date/2017-11-18?cm_ven=localwx_hour
Please read the C.M. Crockett Page for park details.
Please read the C.M. Crockett Page for park details.
A nasty wintery mix of rain, sleet, freezing rain and/or snow tomorrow afternoon and evening isn’t suitable for telescopes, astronomers or the general public.
Hoping for Clear skies for future dates,
Tree Greenwood
Crockett Park Site Coordinator
Please read the C.M. Crockett Page for park details.