Here's the Latest Weather Forecast for the Total Solar Eclipse
Some states along the path of totality might not be as lucky as we initially thought.
Well, eclipse chasers, the big day is almost here and it's time to ask the dreaded question of the hour: Could clouds foil all of our total solar eclipse viewing plans for April 8?
When Dr. Michael Kirk, a research scientist in the Heliophysics Science Division at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, told Thrillist earlier this month that he would advise prospective eclipse chasers to be really mobile on eclipse day, he was referring precisely to the cloud-cover issue. Apparently, it's going to be even larger of a problem than we all thought.
According to the latest weather forecast, cloud coverage might actually pose a real threat to our eclipse viewing odds on the path of totality. Initially, it was thought that, based on past cloud cover data, southern states along the path of totality—states like Texas and Arkansas—were going to have the best chances of cloudless skies, while the Northeast region would be doomed to cloudiness on eclipse day.
However, due to the last development, the situation is somewhat flipped, CNN reports. As of this writing, the Northeast region now has high chances of clear skies (especially New England), while some southern states could be cloudy on April 8 due to a storm system moving in.
The severe weather conditions aren't supposed to hit the Southern Plains and Mississippi Valley (and potentially, some parts of the Tennessee and Ohio valleys) until later in the day on April 8, but there is a chance that clouds will cover some of these areas ahead of the storms.
For other southern states, instead, it's still a 50/50 chance. Parts of Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana have an increased risk of being hit by thunderstorms on eclipse day. However, the storms are currently being forecast for the evening hours, according to the Storm Prediction Center, and the storms usually come in after a cloudless sky when the afternoon heat has reached its maximum height, as CNN explains. Therefore, eclipse watchers could still luck out on clear skies during the actual eclipse.
Which states have the best and worst chances of clear skies on eclipse day?
All this considered, according to National Weather Service meteorologist Marc Chenard, the Northeast, parts of Arkansas, Missouri, and Illinois have the best chances of clear skies on eclipse day, the Associated Press reports.
On the other hand, cloud coverage in some areas of Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, and Texas could go either way—so you better make solid plans to possibly be on the move toward clearer skies on eclipse day.
Even if it's cloudy, you still might be able to experience the eclipse. Even with a thick cloud cover, you might not be able to really see the sun, but you'll still be able to experience nighttime during daytime if you're sitting within the path of totality.