“Eclipse Across America” will air live on Monday, April 8, beginning at 2 PM ET on ABC, ABC News Live, National Geographic Channel, Nat Geo WILD, Disney+, Hulu as well as social media platforms.
In the days leading up to the historic total solar eclipse on April 8, skywatchers near and far flock to the 115-mile-wide path of totality.
The path of the moon's shadow across the Earth's surface, called the path of totality, will extend from Mexico across the United States to parts of Canada, giving millions of eclipse chasers the opportunity to experience the celestial event.
However, due to geographic weather forecasts along the broad path, some locations may not see totality on the day of the eclipse.
In the United States, the path of the total eclipse begins in Texas, and will pass through Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. Small parts of Tennessee and Michigan will also see a total solar eclipse, according to NASA.
The National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) established a Interactive map based on climate standards in the United States To show the average heat index, temperature, dew point, wind chill, and blackout levels across the total track in the United States
At this point, it's too early to tell if a particular city or location will be covered by clouds, but it's not too early to know how the overall pattern is shaping up.
As of Tuesday, most long-range models indicate unsettled, mostly cloudy weather and possibly rain and thunderstorms in Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas.
The forecast shows Illinois, Indiana and Ohio have a 50/50 chance of seeing clouds and rain.
The Northeast, from western Pennsylvania to Maine, has the best chance of seeing clear skies and limited cloud cover.
A total solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between the sun and the Earth, completely blocking the face of the sun for a short period. According to NASA.
Average cloud coverage on April 8, according to data from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA):
“You want to avoid any kind of clouds, if you can,” Fred Espenak, a former astrophysicist from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center and author of “The Road Atlas of the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse,” told ABC News about eclipse day.
“Let's say it's a sunny day with some puffy cumulus clouds. All you need is one of those clouds to be in front of the sun and you've missed the total eclipse,” he continued, adding: “So, you're really looking for a place with as few as possible.” Clouds.”
“I think that seeing the total eclipse is something that should be on everyone’s wish list, and next April will be just a golden opportunity,” Espenak said, noting that watching the eclipse is not only for scientists and astronomers, but for everyone.
“It is an amazing event and will be something people will remember for the rest of their lives,” Espenak continued. “They will tell their grandchildren about the totality they saw in April 2024, if they can get to the path of totality and enjoy some good weather.”
“So I wish everyone clear skies next April,” Espenak said.
ABC News will continue to update daily forecasts leading up to eclipse day on April 8.
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