{"id":51768,"date":"2023-04-26T15:37:09","date_gmt":"2023-04-26T15:37:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cimss.ssec.wisc.edu\/satellite-blog\/?p=51768"},"modified":"2024-01-19T18:40:54","modified_gmt":"2024-01-19T18:40:54","slug":"will-it-be-cloudy-on-april-8th-2024","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cimss.ssec.wisc.edu\/satellite-blog\/archives\/51768","title":{"rendered":"Will it be Cloudy on April 8th (2024)?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Due to the total solar eclipse<\/a> over parts of the contiguous U.S. on April 8, 2024, there are many wondering what the cloud cover<\/a> may be then. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: Will it be cloudy over the path of the total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024? <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A: We don’t know what the cloud cover will be on April 8th, 2024. To offer a clue, we can look to the past. The animation below is a geostationary visible image from April 8 over the last few decades. One image (~19 UTC) is shown for each day. The satellites include: SMS-1<\/a>, GOES-3<\/a>, SMS-2<\/a>, GOES-5<\/a>, GOES-6<\/a>, GOES-7<\/a>, GOES-8<\/a>, GOES-12<\/a>, GOES-13<\/a> and GOES-16<\/a> (here is a timeline of the U.S. geo imager<\/a>s). The loop below (animated gif<\/a> and mp4<\/a>) is also available as an animated gif<\/a> and mp4<\/a> with a quicker playback speed. The expected eclipse path<\/a> is over-plotted. In addition, here is an interactive path plot page<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

April 8th images from geostationary imagers from 1979 to 2023. Also shown is the April 8, 2024 eclipse path. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Also see this interactive web page<\/a>, where the speed of the loop can be changed, the image annotated, etc. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Click on the image for an interactive web page. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Another option is this cloud climatology<\/a> by Brian Brettschneider<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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366 days from today a total solar eclipse will move from southwest to northeast across the Contiguous U.S. This map show the climatological (historical) cloud coverage for April 8th during the middle of the day. [This is not a forecast.] ?? pic.twitter.com\/y4a65ZDCx9<\/a><\/p>— Brian Brettschneider (@Climatologist49) April 8, 2023<\/a><\/blockquote>