What to Expect if It’s Cloudy During Solar Eclipse in Arkansas

One week from today on April 8, Americans are preparing for the upcoming total solar eclipse but what happens if the weather is cloudy what could we expect?

Total Solar Eclipse

Most people are excited to see this once-in-a-lifetime rare phenomenon on its full display still it is April and spring weather conditions will play a big part in whether we see the eclipse or a different version of the eclipse under a cloudy sky.

What to Expect If It's Cloudy

The good news is that no matter what the weather conditions are the solar eclipse will still occur, mother nature is not going to put the eclipse on hold. Many people will be disappointed including me but we should be prepared just in case. Memphis AstronSociety did a study on cloud cover over the past 45 years on April 8, see what they found in their study in the video below this story.

April begins the stormy season and the odds are not in our favor due to changing weather patterns but there is always that chance that we get lucky and see the eclipse, fingers crossed.

Of course with clouds, you won't be able to see the sun's corona which is like icing on the cake for many observers but you can still experience darkness from the eclipse, how much depends on where you are in the path of totality. Instead of being able to see the dramatic change that comes with the moon blocking out the sun, animals, and plants will still be affected by the dark skies.

Depending on how thick the clouds are you could still get some eerie unusual effects in some cases the clouds may have a different color hue as the eclipse is happening turning the clouds a yellow-orange color or ruby red behind the forward moving edge of the moon's shadow.

Watch For Free

If for some reason the weather is not good you can still watch online for free at Space.com.

Hoping For The Best

Let's keep it positive, this time of the year the weather forecast can change dramatically in just a few days so you never know what to expect.  I will be monitoring the weather forecast closely this week with the hope of having a better idea of what to expect on E-day.

Check out Lisa's story of the eclipse time duration from each Arkansas town where the path of totality will occur.