With the 2024 total solar eclipse days away, a plethora of talk, whether it be on sites such as Reddit or the news media, are all about the weather. And there are a plethora of common themes and questions, so let’s take some time to answer some of these in a fashion that will be helpful for everyone.

How accurate are weather forecasts?

Weather forecasts change, and there are a plethora of different forecast models. Whether it be the American, European, or Canadian modes to name a few, will all differ several days to a week or more out. The concern is when the models start to come together to show the same pattern. This means that they’re all likely to think the same thing will happen, which could be an issue for areas that are cloudy.

How far in advance are weather forecasts accurate?

The following table will help you understand when to have serious conversations. But always have a backup.

Not All Clouds Are The Same

Just because a mode shows clouds, that does NOT mean that it will be heavy clouds. Rather it’s basically saying X% of the time there will be some sort of cloud cover. Plus, just because there are some thin layers of clouds, does NOT mean that you will NOT be able to see the eclipse.

Pay Attention To The Specifics And Local Weather History

What this means is that even if it’s cloudy on the day of the eclipse, per forecast, know if the area you’re going not only has weather that changes often but also the potential to clear up for the eclipse. For example, Dallas Texas is known to have weather ranging anything from clear skies to Tornados in April as a potential. Knowing this, just because there’s a cloudy forecast doesn’t mean it couldn’t change.

Now you know a bit more of how to handle the weather forecasts related to the day of the solar eclipse. Let us know in the comments if there’s anything we missed or would like to add! Make sure to check out our other 2024 solar eclipse resources and other articles! We’re on social media as well, so give us a like and follow there!