Cloud Cover

It is also possible to count day light hours, sunshine hours or cloud cover. 

To calculate day light hours you need to record the time between sun rise and sun set. 

To calculate sun shine hours is a lot harder, because you have to time every time the sun comes out (stopwatch). 

To calculate cloud cover a mirror is often used. You divide the mirror into squares and then place the mirror on the ground. The mirror will reflect the clouds and you can count the number of squares covered or partially covered by cloud. You can do this as a percentage or convert to oktas which is the normal measurement of cloud cover. You have to take several readings to avoid anomalous results.

Scale of cloud cover measured in oktas (eighths) with the meteorological symbol for each okta

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