Sun Downer: It'll Be A Cloudy, Possibly Rainy Eclipse In Chicago
By Stephen Gossett in News on Aug 21, 2017 4:44PM
A total solar eclipse viewed in Asia, in 2009 (Photo by National Astronomical Observatory of Japan via Getty Images)
We're used to seeing weather get in the way of best-laid plans here in Chicago, but Monday's gloomy forecast is making us feel particularly glum. The outlook during the eclipse is cloudy with some chance of rain.
When the eclipse begins in Chicago, at around 11:54 a.m., skies will be cloudy and we'll see a 20 percent chance of rain, according to WGN. The peak time will be "partly to mostly cloudy," the forecast states.
But that said, the clouds may not fully steal our sunshine. "[F]orecasting cirrus trends is very challenging and not routine," said the National Weather Service, in a statement.
"Peeks of this eclipse are not out of the question," added reassuring WGN meteorologist Paul Konrad.
And even with potentially unfriendly cloud cover, NWS-Chicago will be running satellite tracking.
Regardless of cloud cover locally, we'll be able to track #eclipse2017 shadow on satellite, which will be moving extremely fast. #ilwx #inwx pic.twitter.com/Gmt689HATA
— NWS Chicago (@NWSChicago) August 21, 2017
And since this is 2017, you always have the option of turning to your screen. Fingers crossed.
Partial solar eclipse beginning locally, will be mostly obscured by clouds. Filtered view *may* be psbl at times. #eclipse2017 #ilwx #inwx pic.twitter.com/IHzlYZdNWY
— NWS Chicago (@NWSChicago) August 21, 2017