Winter Weather on Palomar = Caution

Mother Nature can strike hard in the wintertime. Even though Palomar Mountain is located in Southern California (where the stars always shine) the mountain and the observatory are not immune to the ravages of winter.

Yesterday's winter storm produced at least one accident on Palomar (see photo below) and kept the observatory from opening to the public. The weather also kept me from updating our website to reflect the closure. Whenever possible I'll post notice of closures but we also try to update our Public Information Recording when weather or other conditions will interfere with your visit to the observatory. The number for the Public Information Recording is (760) 742-2119.


When planning a visit to to Palomar, especially in winter, be sure to check the weather forecast and our "Special Notes" on our Driving to Palomar Observatory webpage.

As of this writing, we are still closed and will not re-open until it is safe for visitors to be on observatory grounds. There's lots of snow and ice to clear from our walkways. Another winter storm is on the way that will likely keep us closed on Wednesday and maybe beyond.

Stay safe!