Monday’s eclipse will be the most out-of-this world show of the year — but for some, the big event will be canceled because of clouds.
Weather forecasters are predicting overcast skies in some spots along the 2024 total eclipse’s path, which will prevent sky-gazers from seeing the big moment when the moon crosses paths with the sun, even though the sky will still turn dark as night.
Fortunately for New Yorkers, a Fox Forecast Center projection says that the places with the highest chance of clouds were in the southern and central U.S. — while most of the Northeast and New England will have a clear view of the celestial show.
The solar eclipse can be viewed in parts of New York in totality between 3:17 and 3:25 p.m.
However, a few areas around the Great Lakes, including the Buffalo region and other parts of Western New York, are expecting buzzkiller clouds.
Meanwhile, in Manhattan, skies will likely stay clear, making the Big Apple a great option for taking in the spectacle.
The maximum cloud coverage Monday in Central Park will be 46%, with temperatures reaching a high of 63 degrees Fahrenheit, according to a forecast from the National Weather Service.
While the Big Apple is not in the eclipse’s path of totality, those looking to witness a partial solar eclipse should be outside and ready with solar eclipse glasses starting at 2:10 p.m.
A partial eclipse should be visible in New York City shortly after 2 p.m. APThe eclipse will cover large swaths of Western and Upstate New York between 2 and 4:30 p.m. on Monday.
For those living in the path of totality, in areas including Jamestown, Buffalo, Rochester, Niagara Falls, Syracuse, Water Town and Lake Placid, the full eclipse will take place between approximately 3:20 and 3:30 p.m., though the partial eclipse will likely begin just after 2 p.m.
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.
As the eclipse moves northeast, cloud coverage will be less in areas like Caribou, Maine, one of the last places in America to view the eclipse before it heads to Canada.
The eclipse should still be visible even with clouds. REUTERSIn the Midwest, cloud cover will likely be less around Paducah, Kentucky, and near St. Louis, but the skies will be more concentrated with clouds closer to the Great Lakes region, including Cleveland.
Many of the popular solar eclipse viewing spots, including San Antonio and Dallas, were also forecasted to have clouds on April 8.
While some areas may be cloudy, those looking to view the eclipse may still be able to see some of it despite the haze.
Those on the lookout for the eclipse will still need specialized protective glasses even if the sun is shrouded in clouds.






