We don't control weather... just expertly predict it
IS YOUR SKY GOING TO BE CLOUDY TONIGHT OR TOMORROW NIGHT?
This 72-hr weather forecast is made for astronomers by the astronomer Attilla Danko. We rely on it because it's ALMOST never wrong.
If you're not sure how to read this, click on the chart for detailed instructions. But basically, for the non-astronomer, the red lines mark midnight, and the more darker blue squares you see... the better!
For the incredulous "Sky Watchers," who can also find us on a map without labels, here's a multi-spectrum satellite loop from GOES-16. Although its geostationary orbit isn't directly above the DRO (despite us asking nicely) it's close enough to prove helpful, in assessing imminent cloud behavior. Go to GOES-16 data as managed by the College of DuPage.
Do you want to try another superior weather tool? Try www.windy.com . Normally we don't endorse a product until we have had 5 full years of experience with it. But after 3 years, Windy is already proving to be amazing with new features added all the time. Even the free version is impressive. The subscription version we buy makes all the other weather apps look amateurish.
Leave the weather worrying to us! Try and relax. Your are on vacation!
Please don't call us to offer help in predicting OUR weather. We don't even care what Al Roker, or Jim Cantore might have to say. We are the local weather experts here, because our livelihood depends on us getting it right... the vast majority of the time. Al and Jim still get paid on cloudy nights.
From us, no news, is good news. If you don't hear from us, it means we have either all been destroyed by asteroid impact (we ironically didn't predict coming), or we are NOT AT ALL worried about whatever might be worrying you:
- your phone's free weather app's 14-day (which means it's bogus) forecast predicts the sky might not be clear 2 weeks hence.
- the cute graphics pretending to be an hourly forecast (saving you from reading an actual chart) show clouds.
- you see some actual clouds in the sky.
- your "trick knee" that sometimes correlates to meaning something weather-wise, is acting up.
- your astrologer said something conveniently vague but with an ominous tone.
When we are certain there is no hope for stargazing we might be able to let you know before noon the same day. Then we will do a hard cancel (79% refund unless you booked a Back-up night). When we are uncertain we might not contact you with a go or no-go text & email until as late as 6:30-7:00pm which is sometimes how long we have to wait until we get our last spot weather forecast. If you inconveniently booked rooms in the Zion area, or even farther away, that inconvenience is on you. And remember we reserve the right to delay start time (notification by text & email) by up to an hour if we feel that increases our chance of avoiding bad weather.
OTHERWISE, no news is good news. If you get nervous you can always google: "asteroid impact near Bryce Canyon"
If that's still not good enough, it is less annoying if you text or email us about your pre-show weather concerns. That way we can easily reply with the exact same URL [link] you should be reading now. :-)
From us, no news, is good news. If you don't hear from us, it means we have either all been destroyed by asteroid impact (we ironically didn't predict coming), or we are NOT AT ALL worried about whatever might be worrying you:
- your phone's free weather app's 14-day (which means it's bogus) forecast predicts the sky might not be clear 2 weeks hence.
- the cute graphics pretending to be an hourly forecast (saving you from reading an actual chart) show clouds.
- you see some actual clouds in the sky.
- your "trick knee" that sometimes correlates to meaning something weather-wise, is acting up.
- your astrologer said something conveniently vague but with an ominous tone.
When we are certain there is no hope for stargazing we might be able to let you know before noon the same day. Then we will do a hard cancel (79% refund unless you booked a Back-up night). When we are uncertain we might not contact you with a go or no-go text & email until as late as 6:30-7:00pm which is sometimes how long we have to wait until we get our last spot weather forecast. If you inconveniently booked rooms in the Zion area, or even farther away, that inconvenience is on you. And remember we reserve the right to delay start time (notification by text & email) by up to an hour if we feel that increases our chance of avoiding bad weather.
OTHERWISE, no news is good news. If you get nervous you can always google: "asteroid impact near Bryce Canyon"
If that's still not good enough, it is less annoying if you text or email us about your pre-show weather concerns. That way we can easily reply with the exact same URL [link] you should be reading now. :-)
Cloudy Sky Cancellation Policy
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The Weather is Different Here...
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If during the 2 to 3-hr course of a Telescope Tour, we fail to show you at least 1 example of each class of astronomical object (solar system, binary star, star cluster, galaxy, and nebulae), we offer 79% REFUNDS. When we are sure it will be too stormy to use telescopes at all, we will text and email to alert you of a hard cancellation (79% refund).
Otherwise, when it is too close to call, you are still obligated to attend so as to earn your refund. We'll still offer the multimedia show while we wait for sky to clear. So at worst, you'll get a fun show with a 79% refund. At best the sky will clear, and there will be much rejoicing. However, if you make an Alternative Night Booking and we still fail, after 2 nights of trying, to show you at least 1 example of each class of astronomical object, you will get 100% refund of your tour tickets. |
Folks like to brag about their rapidly changing weather. In reality few places rival the clearing speed of the Colorado Plateau. The time-lapse above goes from 100% overcast, with lightning, to 100% clear in 90 minutes!
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The bottom line is: Trust us! Since we run a weather dependent business, we have to be both VERY good at predicting our local weather, and generous when we're wrong. If we weren't, we would have already gone out of business, long ago. :-)
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