Will April showers obscure total eclipse? Recent data suggests that's a possibility.

Karl Schneider, Indianapolis Star
Updated ·3 min read
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Many parts of Indiana are within the zone of totality for the April 8 solar eclipse. The eclipse will begin around 1:45 p.m. EST in Indiana and last through about 4:20 p.m. The totality, or when the sun is most covered, will last only a few minutes.

Preparations for viewing the total solar eclipse April 8 have been underway for months across Indiana, but a perfect once-in-a-lifetime experience hinges on one factor no one can control: the weather.

April kicks off the rainy season for Hoosiers, with the state averaging about 4.3 inches of precipitation throughout the month, according to the National Weather Service. With those April showers come clouds that could render viewing the eclipse a little less thrilling or even a complete washout.

While it's still too early for a more exact forecast, IndyStar analyzed Indianapolis weather reports for April 8 each year from 2000 to 2023 to see what hints those recent observations might provide about the chance of having a clear sky to watch the eclipse.

Precipitation totals and cloud cover

Even though April is notoriously drizzly, data for every April 8 since 2000 pulled from Weather Underground show little rain.

The April 8 precipitation data reveals a majority of those days were rain-free — 18 of 24 didn't see a single drop. Just six times since 2000 has Indianapolis had rain on April 8. All of those showers have occured since 2014. The highest recorded rainfall for April 8 during that period, just under 1 inch, came in 2014.

The chances of clear skies, unfortunately, are not as promising. The historical data for 2000-2023 fails to mention the word "sunny" even once, with the best observation being "fair."

NWS defines a "fair" sky as having less than 3/8ths cloud cover. "Partly cloudy" means between 3/8ths and 5/8ths cloud cover. "Mostly cloudy" is when 6/8 to 7/8 of the sky is covered with opaque clouds. And "cloudy" means 7/8ths or more of the sky is obscured. The breakdown of recent April 8 cloud-cover observations looks like this:

  • Fair — 5 days

  • Partly cloudy — 3 days

  • Mostly cloudy — 6 days

  • Cloudy — 10 days

Even with the recent past hinting at a gray forecast, the skies will still darken during the eclipse and there's also a chance the sun will peak between the clouds. Eclipse viewing under cloudy skies is not ideal, but if you're within the zone of totality, which stretches across central Indiana, it's still likely to be an impressive experience.

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Temperature highs and lows

Temperatures on April 8 since 2000 have bounced between a high of 83 and a low of 42. The daily record high of 83 was recorded in 2001. The record low is just 18.

Over the last 24 years temperature readings around 3 p.m. on April 8, when the eclipse will reach totality, averaged about 58 degrees.

It's likely to be at least a little chilly out, so being prepared with a jacket might be helpful. You also might want to bring along an umbrella just to be safe.

Map, times for total solar eclipse by city

Karl Schneider is an IndyStar environment reporter. You can reach him at karl.schneider@indystar.com. Follow him on Twitter @karlstartswithk

IndyStar's environmental reporting project is made possible through the generous support of the nonprofit Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indiana's total eclipse: Will there be clear skies?