FORECAST: Will New York State See Cloudy Skies for the Eclipse?

The biggest astronomical event in recent times is fast approaching.

A total solar eclipse will occur on April 8, as parts of western New York state will lay directly in the path of totality for over four minutes. Other areas of the state will experience near total coverage, to just under 90 percent coverage that day.

But there is one issue possibly hindering viewing, and early April is one of the worst times of year for this across New York and the Northeast. Cloud cover.

*** UPDATE: Hudson Valley Weather is forecasting sunny skies in the morning, but that give way to mostly cloudy skies by Monday afternoon. The Weather Channel is calling for partly cloudy skies throughout the day. AccuWeather says Monday will bring sunshine with some clouds mixing in. ***

Eclipse Forecast For April 8

For example, Poughkeepsie only sees around 165 sunny days a year, while the national average is 205, according to Best Places. Other areas in New York, such as Buffalo, Rochester, and Syracuse, rank near the top as the cloudiest cities in the U.S., according to Current Results.

Many other cities and towns in the state can attest to days upon days of gray skies, as cold-air damming east of the Appalachians leads to protracted periods of cloud cover and precipitation east of the range, says Wikipedia.

Weather

Meteorologists from AccuWeather have already put together a long range forecast using "weather patterns and emerging trends", to predict the weather for April 8.

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The Weather Channel issues forecasts for as long as ten days ahead, though other forecasters can run models for an even longer period. AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Paul Pastelok says their eclipse forecast "is based on the long-term historical average cloud cover data used by NOAA and many others as a foundation".

AccuWeather says that the Northeastern part if the United States has the highest risk of cloud cover that day. Of course, there is always the chance the Sun will prevail, and skies will remain mostly clear, so there is plenty of time to change the forecast.

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However, Pastelok also stated that there is a good chance for a cold front to be pushing through the U.S. around that time, though the exact location will determine whether areas in the eclipse path will remain cloud-free or overcast.

April is a time of year when temperatures quickly change, leading to severe weather. Also, AccuWeather says El Niño is still a factor and can alter weather patterns, despite rapid weakening.