At a Glance
- Almost everyone in North America has a chance of seeing the eclipse.
- The path of totality crosses parts of 15 states.
- Major cities in the path include Dallas and Indianapolis.
Sign up for the Morning Brief email newsletter to get weekday updates from The Weather Channel and our meteorologists.
The path of a total solar eclipse will cross parts of Mexico, 15 U.S. states and a piece of Canada on April 8.
Millions of people are expected to watch in person, special events are being planned along the path, hotels and campgrounds are full or filling up fast and now is the time to order eclipse safety glasses.
As for the weather? We'll keep you up to date on that.
Here's what to know about the celestial event of the year.
Where To See The Eclipse
Nearly everyone in North America has a chance to see at least a partial eclipse. Peak coverage of the sun will range from about 20% in places like Seattle to 45% in Miami and 100% in Dallas, according to GreatAmericanEclipse.com.
The path of totality is 115 miles wide and covers portions of these states: Arkansas, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, Maine, Michigan, Missouri, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania Tennessee, Texas and Vermont.
Besides Dallas, other cities along the way include Little Rock, Arkansas; Indianapolis; Cleveland, Ohio; Erie, Pennsylvania; and Buffalo, New York, while dozens of others are very close.
(MORE: 'The Aurora Guy' Follows His Passion To Chase The Northern Lights)
Parts of Mexico and a swath of southeast Canada, including Montreal, will also see totality.
The timing varies by location, but the eclipse starts around 1:30 p.m. local time in southwest Texas, crosses near the southern Missouri and Illinois border about 30 minutes later, and reaches upper Maine at 3:33 p.m. local time, according to NASA.
There will also be live streams available online.
What To Know About The Weather
It's too early for a forecast, but we can look back at what history has shown for some clues. Here are a few facts compiled by weather.com senior meteorologist Chris Dolce:
-NOAA's GOES satellite data shows that spots in the path of totality from southern Illinois and Indiana to western New York and northern New England had the highest average chance of at least some cloud cover on every April 8 over the past 28 years.
-Parts of southwest and central Texas had the lowest average chance, but still had 30% odds of clouds.
-April can be a stormy time of year, with low-pressure systems tracking through the central and eastern states. That can mean clouds, severe thunderstorms, heavy rain and even snow depending on location.
Read more in Dolce's article here.
What's Different About This Eclipse
A total solar eclipse happens when the moon passes between the sun and earth, casting a shadow that eventually blocks out the entire sun. The April 8 eclipse is unusual for two reasons.
First, the sun is in a period of solar maximum. That means more solar flares and other bursts of energy on the sun's surface. Astronomers say it could make the eclipse even more spectacular, with streamers and loops dotting the sun's magnetic field.
Second, the length of totality is unusually long, according to NASA. The eclipse is happening when the moon is at one of its closest approaches to Earth, which makes the moon appear larger and brighter. This "supermoon" will block out the sun for more than four minutes in some locations, including parts of Texas, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois and Indiana.
The longest period of totality will be nearly two minutes longer than the last total solar eclipse in the U.S., in 2017.
Traveling To See The Eclipse? Finalize Your Plans ASAP.
More than 180 million people in the U.S. live within 200 miles of the path of totality, according to NASA, meaning local conditions will be crowded even without the huge influx of travelers expected in many areas.
A quick search online shows 85% of hotels are filled for the night of April 7 in Dallas, according to booking.com.
Airbnb.com shows about 300 places available to rent that night in Indianapolis, but only a few dozen in Little Rock.
(MORE: RV Rentals Skyrocket For Eclipse Weekend)
Campgrounds and state parks along the path of totality reported already filling up before the end of last year.
Several cities and attractions are planning special events, including viewing parties at places like one of Ohio's oldest drive-in movie theaters and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, as well as races, yoga retreats, special museum presentations and even eclipse-themed weddings.
How To Safely Watch The Eclipse
Regular sunglasses won't protect your eyes no matter how dark the lenses are.
"Eclipse glasses are one of the easiest ways to safely view the sun, during an eclipse or whenever," John S. Gianforte, astronomer and director of the University of New Hampshire Observatory, told weather.com in an email. "They can be used to view the sun anytime and must be worn during ALL of the partial phases of a solar eclipse."
There are inexpensive versions made from paper and a film or polymer specially designed to block out the sun's damaging rays.
Handheld solar viewers are also a good option.
In both cases, make sure they comply with the ISO 12312-2 international standard for viewing the sun.
(MORE: NASA Reveals Full Bennu Asteroid Sample)
Eclipse glasses or viewers can be ordered online or purchased in stores, including some big box retailers.
The American Astronomical Association recommends buying from one of their vetted manufacturers, sellers or retail stores. The association notes that NASA doesn't endorse or approve any products.
Weather.com reporter Jan Childs covers breaking news and features related to weather, space, climate change, the environment and everything in between.
The Weather Company’s primary journalistic mission is to report on breaking weather news, the environment and the importance of science to our lives.
