--- title: What Happens If It’s Cloudy During an Eclipse? description: Cloudy skies are known to dull the effects of total eclipses, making them less dramatic. But that doesn’t mean you should give up altogether. canonical: https://time.com/6963028/what-if-solar-eclipse-cloudy-2024/ author: Anna Gordon article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2024-04-04T11:00:00.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-01-19T10:36:11.000Z article:section: Science og:title: What Happens If It’s Cloudy During an Eclipse? og:description: Cloudy skies are known to dull the effects of total eclipses, making them less dramatic. But that doesn’t mean you should give up altogether. og:url: https://time.com/6963028/what-if-solar-eclipse-cloudy-2024/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt2c7d1c7c51e0af59/698a5550e6e84afda42b2c73/eclipse-clouds-social.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 2400 og:image:height: 1350 og:image:alt: eclipse-clouds-social og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: What Happens If It’s Cloudy During an Eclipse? twitter:description: Cloudy skies are known to dull the effects of total eclipses, making them less dramatic. But that doesn’t mean you should give up altogether. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt2c7d1c7c51e0af59/698a5550e6e84afda42b2c73/eclipse-clouds-social.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # What Happens if It’s Cloudy During an Eclipse? > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. 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Named editors include Richard Hall (The Brief), Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs (Inside TIME), Eliza Berman (Worth Your Time), Philip Elliott (D.C. Brief), Justin Worland (Future Proof) and Harry Booth (In the Loop). Health Matters is written by TIME's health desk. #### How do I sign up for a TIME newsletter? Go to time.com/newsletters, choose the newsletters you want and enter your email address. There is no cost and no subscription requirement. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=6a0c0c5d-fa6c-4ffc-b6c1-25e59b10c162&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1) ## Video: 2024 U.S. Total Eclipse Explained [Watch (HLS stream): 2024 U.S. Total Eclipse Explained](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/MOMY0Lpx.m3u8) (2:13)  _Published 2024-02-27. A rare total solar eclipse will occur across Mexico, the U.S., and Canada on April 8, 2024, when the moon will pass between the Earth and the Sun, blocking the sun’s rays during the day time, causing a temporary period of darkness. TIME Editor-at-Large Jeffrey Kluger explains the best way to experience it._ by [Anna Gordon](https://time.com/author/anna-gordon/) ## Anna Gordon Gordon was a reporter for TIME, based in the London bureau. Updated: Jan 19, 2026 10:36 AM UTCPublished: Apr 4, 2024 11:00 AM UTC Today’s solar eclipse will plunge large swaths of the U.S. into near total darkness as 15 states witness the sun completely cover the moon. by [Anna Gordon](https://time.com/author/anna-gordon/) ## Anna Gordon Gordon was a reporter for TIME, based in the London bureau. Updated: Jan 19, 2026 10:36 AM UTCPublished: Apr 4, 2024 11:00 AM UTC Today, crowds will flock into cities like Indianapolis, Cleveland, and Dallas for a chance to view a total solar eclipse, a rare event which occurs when the moon completely covers the sun for a few short minutes. There is one factorthat could complicate the experience for eclipse watchers: clouds. Cloudy skies are known to dull the effects of total eclipses, making them less dramatic. That could spoil a celestial event people in the U.S. won’t get to see again for two decades. **Read More**: [_Why These Passengers Are Flying up to 30 Hours to See Four Minutes of the Eclipse_](https://time.com/6961856/eclipse-delta-flight-passengers/) But that doesn’t mean you should give up altogether if the area you plan on viewing the eclipse from has a cloudy weather forecast. Here’s what happens if the eclipse occurs on a cloudy day—and how to try to maximize your viewing experience. ## **What to expect during a cloudy total solar eclipse** “If you are under the clouds, it’s still going to get dark,” says veteran solar eclipse traveler and expert Patricia Reiff. Reiff is a professor of physics and astronomy at Rice University, and over the course of her career shehas seen 20 eclipses. Reiff says that she has been “clouded out” from seeing a planned eclipse three times, and that while the effects of the eclipse are dulled when there are clouds, there still may be interesting things for viewers to observe. “You can still experience the eclipse with your skin because it will be cooler and the winds are going to change,” she says. “You can still experience it with your ears because the birds might change their roosting songs. You might experience it with your eyes because the dogs and other animals are lying down and acting as though it’s the evening.” **Read More**: [_How Animals and Nature React to an Eclipse_](https://time.com/6958452/how-animals-nature-react-solar-eclipse/) Carolyn Addison, the head of product at the Black Tomato, a travel company that designs solar eclipse trips, agrees. “If clouds are present, the eclipse will still be evident and it should still be incredible to experience, with a dramatic change in the atmosphere when the daylight darkens to night, the temperature noticeably drops, and with it, birds and other typically vocal wildlife become quiet, changing to their nighttime behavior. It’s intriguingly eerie and a unique event to witness,” she said via email. If it’s just an overcast or partly cloudy day, Reiff still recommends making the journey, since lighter clouds have a tendency to thin out as totality starts due to the way the sunlight is scattered. “It adds to the suspense,” says Reiff. “There were several times when it was raining that morning and we didn’t think we would see it, but the cirrus clouds became more transparent as totality approached because of the scattered sunlight, and just as totality approached it cleared.” That said, Reiff says the ability to view an eclipse during cloudy weather depends on the extent of the clouds. “If there’s widespread thunderclouds, I’m going to stay where I am,” she says. “Only if you can see through the clouds will you get the experience of the solar corona and the true experience of totality.” **Read More**: [_Where to Find Solar Eclipse Glasses—And Spot Fake Ones_](https://time.com/6958764/solar-eclipse-glasses-free-buy-fakes/) ## **How to reduce the chances of encountering clouds** There are ways to minimize the chances of encountering cloudy skies with enough planning. One useful thing eclipse watchers can do is have a backup plan if the place from which they intend to view the eclipse is cloudy. By now, weather forecasts provided by local media stations should be fairly accurate, so you should have some idea if the place you plan on going will have clear skies. Approximately 24-48 hours before the eclipse starts, the weather forecasts will be accurate enough for you to make a decision about which places near you within the [path of totality](https://time.com/6960270/solar-eclipse-2024-path-of-totality-map/) will have the best weather, says Reiss. It’s best to keep your plans flexible until then if your goal is to view totality under clear skies. ## Transcript [00:03] Total eclipses occur when the moon passes directly between [00:08] the Earth and the Sun blocking solar light since 1900 [00:13] only 12 have touch the US Mainland most of them only glancingly [00:18] on average a total solar eclipse will happen where you live [00:22] only once every 375 years. [00:25] Why are they so rare? [00:28] Well, the sun is about 400 times larger than the moon but the [00:33] sun is also 400 times farther away. [00:35] So the two bodies appear about the same size to us on the moon [00:42] orbits the earth once each month. [00:43] So why doesn't it Shadow touch the Earth causing an eclipse [00:48] with each pass? [00:50] Partly because the moon's orbit is tilted slightly which causes [00:54] its shadow to miss the Earth most of the time but it's also [00:59] because the moon's orbit is elliptical for much of its path. [01:03] The Moon is farther away from Earth and appears too small to block [01:07] out the sun completely those eclipses are called annular. [01:12] Only when the eclipse occurs at the moon's closest approach [01:16] is a total eclipse possible, even then the narrow band of totality [01:21] usually tracks over water or away from population centers. [01:25] That's why this eclipse on April 8th is so special as it crosses [01:31] the Texas border at about 1:27 p.m. [01:34] Local time sitting closest to the center of the path like Waco [01:39] Cleveland and buffalo could witness up for 4 minutes or more [01:44] of darkness in all 31 million us residents live in the path [01:49] of the eclipse. [01:50] Even if you don't live in the path of totality most of the US [01:54] will experience some level of Darkness. [01:59] It's a 2-hour spectacle that you don't want to miss because [02:03] the next total solar eclipse to hit the US Mainland won't be until [02:08] 2044. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/6963028/what-if-solar-eclipse-cloudy-2024/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/6963028/what-if-solar-eclipse-cloudy-2024/"},"headline":"What Happens if It’s Cloudy During an Eclipse?","datePublished":"2024-04-04T11:00:00.000Z","dateModified":"2026-01-19T10:36:11.000Z","description":"Cloudy skies are known to dull the effects of total eclipses, making them less dramatic. 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