Today is not just any old Monday. In fact, today is the date of a rare total solar eclipse that won’t occur for another 20 years! The celestial event is expected to wash 15 US states on the path of totality in utter darkness.
Fortunately, for those looking to catch the spectacle, New York is one of those states. Specifically, Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, and Niagara will boast the best viewing opportunities across the state. Yet, those in the city will still experience 90% coverage.
But before you pump yourself up about catching the rare solar eclipse, it’s necessary to take a look at the forecast and see how it will impact our visibility. If it’s particularly cloudy or a storm approaches (let’s hope we’re done with the earthquakes), it might be harder to see.
According to The New York Times‘ cloud cover forecast map, NYC will experience 40-60% cloud coverage at the height of the solar eclipse (approx. 3pm). This range classifies somewhere between “Scattered” and “Broken” cloud cover, that’s normally defined by 25-50% and 50-90%, as shown by GLOBE Observer App.
Though such a range sounds like high cloud coverage, it’s when coverage is around 90% that your view will really be obstructed. Meteorologist, Jay Anderson, told The New York Times that he’s seen previous eclipses with 50-60% cloud coverage, so there’s still hope for us in NYC!
Be sure to take the necessary precaution if you do plan to view today’s solar eclipse. You MUST wear International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 12312-2 certified eclipse glasses to safely view the spectacle. Find out where to get eclipse glasses in NYC here.