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Clouds are increasingly likely to steal the rare solar eclipse show in Austin-San Antonio and Dallas-Fort Worth on Monday.
As of Wednesday morning, the forecast called for cloudy skies from Austin to San Antonio, and a 25% chance of rain from Dallas to Fort Worth, making it the area in Texas where the total solar eclipse would be most visible.
A similar phenomenon occurred seven years ago, but this unusual phenomenon occurs thousands of miles closer to Earth than previous phenomena. It will be partially visible in all 48 contiguous states and will be the last total solar eclipse until August 23, 2044, according to NASA. So, thanks to Mother Nature herself, it is definitely an experience that no one wants to miss.
more:‘New’ path on totality map shows solar eclipse will be visible in more areas of Texas
A scientific explanation of what will happen during the day.
What if it’s cloudy during the eclipse?
Even with clouds on Monday, there’s still a chance for clear visibility.
According to a recent study published in Nature Communication Earth and Environment, researchers found that when only part of the sun is obscured during an eclipse, the shallow cumulus clouds dissipate and do not reappear until the eclipse is over. This is because these clouds disappear as the Earth’s surface cools, a process that begins when only 15% of the sun is covered.
However, it is important to note that this study applies specifically to shallow cumulus clouds that hover over land fairly low in the sky. Given that rain is expected on Monday, these are unlikely to be the only clouds present over Texas during the eclipse.
“This is a low, patchy, puffy cloud that you often see on sunny days,” Victor Trees, a doctoral candidate in the Department of Geosciences and Remote Sensing at Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands, told CNN. “If you see those fluffy clouds on the day of a solar eclipse, look closely, because they might disappear.”
more:What time is the total solar eclipse in Texas on April 8th? Find your zip code here
What if there are other clouds in the sky during a solar eclipse?
According to Space.com, even mid- to high-level clouds have a good chance of disappearing at the onset of totality.
“If your sky is covered with mid-to-high clouds (circrostratus, altostratus, and/or cirrocumulus), the leading edge of the oval shadow will rapidly move toward you, and then “You’ll see it pass over the sky, the beginning of totality,” Space.com skywatching columnist Joe Rao wrote. “And as it passes, the overall quality of light illuminating the surrounding landscape changes markedly, and the color of the clouds can change dramatically.”
He shared his first-hand experience of cloud cover when he first saw a solar eclipse in 1972. As totality approached, I noticed that the clouds were disappearing.
Clouds in the sky take a while to dissipate, but eventually they do for the same reason as shallow cumulus clouds: cooler temperatures. According to FOX Weather, during a solar eclipse, the moon blocks incoming solar radiation from reaching the Earth’s surface, causing a drop in surface temperatures.
more:Want to purchase eclipse glasses last minute? Here are four major retailers that sell them.
As a result, without the sun’s heat, the air cools and the water droplets (or clouds) turn back into invisible vapor.
“With the sudden darkness, the color of the clouds changed,” Rao wrote of his experience. “Behind the advancing edge of the moon’s shadow was a strange, exotic color. The dull gray suddenly turned yellow-orange, the kind of hue you see when you peer into a bottle of beer or iodine. Indeed, along the edge of the disappearing moon, Sun At the beginning and end of totality, ruby red or fuchsia arcs associated with the Sun’s chromosphere appeared. It looked bright red because the hydrogen in the sun is hot and gives off a reddish light, but some of this light may be evident in the clouds at the beginning and end of totality. ”
What is the path of the solar eclipse in Texas in 2024? View the interactive map
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