“Cloudy conditions” expected in Dallas-Fort Worth due to the total solar eclipse on April 8

Editor's note: This story is part of Dallas Morning News coverage of the 2024 total solar eclipse. For more visit dallasnews.com/Eclipse.

With just a few days left until the total solar eclipse, the forecast remains partly to mostly cloudy in north and central Texas, according to the National Weather Service.

The latest update from the Weather Service's Fort Worth office Friday morning forecast cloudy conditions Monday across the Dallas-Fort Worth area in the path of totality. According to a Weather Service graph, North Texas has an average chance of partly cloudy skies or better at 1 p.m. on April 8.

In an update Friday, weather service officials said there was more than a 90% chance that high, cirrus clouds would be in place Monday morning, and that they would become denser by the time of the eclipse. Meteorologists track how dense high clouds are.

NASA Mojamal saidIt is expected to begin at 1:40 pm in Dallas, when the moon completely covers the sun, and last about four minutes. The partial eclipse is expected to begin around 12:20 pm in the city.

High clouds are almost certain in the area, and ideal viewing conditions remain unlikely, the weather service said. There is an increased possibility that dense low clouds will impact viewability in parts of Central Texas.

“Ideal viewing conditions continue to look unlikely across our region for #Eclipse2024, with worse visibility as you move into Central Texas,” the weather service said in a statement. Share on X.

Storms are expected late Saturday into Sunday and then late Monday into Tuesday after the eclipse. The timing of storm systems “will determine what we see on eclipse day or not,” Monique Sellers, a meteorologist with NWS Fort Worth, previously said.

Sellers has noted that the low cloud surface of stratus clouds usually obscures everything in the sky. A thin veil of high clouds will be more convenient for onlookers to catch a glimpse.

Across south-central Texas, skies are expected to be mostly cloudy, according to A.J Social media sharing From NWS Austin/San Antonio. Meteorologists at the office are unsure how dense the clouds will be and whether there will be a break in low clouds to allow for some filtered viewing.

the desk He noted that the chances are better To Increase Visibility Far Northeast – A weather service chart shows high chances for favorable viewing conditions in the northeastern part of Arkansas on the border with Missouri and Kentucky.

According to the chart, there are no parts of Texas in the path of totality that are under a high chance of favorable conditions. Meteorologists said that changes in forecasts could occur in the coming days.