Northeast expected to have some of the best views of the solar eclipse
The forecast is looking bright for the moment the skies go dark in the Northeast.
Those hoping to catch a glimpse of Monday’s solar eclipse in New York City are in luck, as the forecast shapes up for the rare event. Storms descending on Texas, however, will likely put a damper on the historic day.
Chances of heavy cloud cover in the Big Apple for Monday dissipated and temperatures will reach just above 60, making for a good afternoon to view the moon as it passes over the sun — 91% of which will be visible from the city around 3:25 p.m.
“You really can’t ask for better weather here for this time of year,” said Fox Weather meteorologist Dax Clark.
Instead of spring showers and overcast skies, there will only be about 10% cloud coverage in the five boroughs and some passing clouds near the Great Lakes — though eclipse glasses are needed regardless.
Totality, or the full coverage of the sun, will be visible from Buffalo, where a previously gloomy forecast is also improving. “The trend is your friend if you’re looking to view this in New York,” Clark said.
The path of totality also covers parts of the Finger Lakes and the Adirondack Mountains, which fall along the 15-state span reaching from Texas to Maine.
Over 31 million people live within the path, according to NASA, and an additional 150 million people live within 200 miles of it.
Everything to know about the 2024 solar eclipse
- The solar eclipse will take place Monday, April 8, blocking the sun for over 180 million people in its path.
- The eclipse will expand from Mexico’s Pacific Coast across North America, hitting 15 US states and pulling itself all the way to the coast of Newfoundland, Canada.
- New Yorkers will experience the solar eclipse just after 2 p.m. Monday.
- A huge explosion on the sun, known as a coronal mass ejection, is anticipated, according to experts. This happens when massive particles from the sun are hurled out into space, explains Ryan French of the National Solar Observatory in Boulder, Colorado.
- To avoid serious injury to the eyes, it is necessary to view the event through proper eyewear like eclipse glasses, or a handheld solar viewer, during the partial eclipse phase before and after totality.
- The next total solar eclipse will take place on Aug. 12, 2026, and totality will be visible to those in Greenland, Iceland, Spain, Russia and a small slice of Portugal.Â
“Maine could very well end up being the best place to watch,” said Clark, which is surprising for this time of year for the region. Vermont and New Hampshire will also have stellar views of the spectacle.
Texas, Clark noted, which typically has clearer skies in April, may end up being the worst place to view the eclipse because almost complete cloud coverage is predicted. As the moon crosses the sun, a severe thunderstorm system will roll into the Lone Star state, bringing multi-day storms and flooding.
More than 400,000 people were set to flock to Dallas for the event, and at least 1 million tourists overall were expected to head to the state, which has several counties in the zone of the eclipse totality.
In NYC, the solar sight will give way to even warmer springtime weather, with Tuesday reaching 70 degrees.