Marine Observers Handbook | Previous Top Next

The amount of cloud was in the past estimated as the number of tenths of sky covered. At a conference of the International Meteorological Organization (Washington 1947) it was recommended that amount of cloud be reported in eighths instead of tenths. This change of procedure was brought into force with the introduction of the revised International Code (Washington) on 1 January 1949. In making the observation it is necessary to stand in a position affording an uninterrupted view of the whole sky. To make an estimate for the whole sky at once requires practice and is rather difficult at first. It is convenient to imagine the sky divided into quadrants by two arcs drawn at right angles through the zenith.

Each quadrant represents two-eighths of the total sky. If we choose the most appropriate of the figures –

0 = Clear or almost clear of cloud
1 = About half covered

2 = Completely or almost completely covered with cloud –

for each separate quadrant, then the total amount of cloud for the whole sky is obtained simply by adding the amounts in the separate quadrants.

At night the observation of total cloud amount is noted by observing which stars are showing and which are obscured. It is more difficult to differentiate between low, middle and high clouds and reliable observation depends upon the degree of illumination and the experience of the observer