Will clouds spoil our view of the solar eclipse? Here's what we know.

Beth Ann Miller, The Daily American
·2 min read
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SOMERSET ― Cloudy skies may prevent us from getting an ideal view of today's solar eclipse, but there is still a chance that parts of the eclipse may be visible during the two-and-a-half-hour event, and other natural phenomena associated with the eclipse should be apparent as well.

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"Odds are there will be more clouds than sun, but we can't rule out breaks of sun (during the afternoon)," said Matt Steinbugl, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in State College.

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He estimates the presence of cloud cover at 60 to 70%, with mid- to high-level clouds around that may obscure our view of the moon crossing over the sun between 2 and 4:30 p.m. There also is a 20% chance of an isolated shower during that time.

It's expected to be a nice day in south-central Pennsylania for the solar eclipse. Some clouds will be in the sky some of the time, according to the National Weather Service.
It's expected to be a nice day in south-central Pennsylania for the solar eclipse. Some clouds will be in the sky some of the time, according to the National Weather Service.

"But given the frequency of these types of events, it's definitely worth a look – with the correct eclipse glasses, of course," Steinbugl said.

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When will the solar eclipse begin?

According to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the first signs of the total solar eclipse should start in Somerset County at around 2 p.m., with the maximum eclipse taking place around 3:18 p.m. In this area, we will see about 95% of the total eclipse, and it will last for about three-and-a-half minutes.

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As the moon crosses between the Earth and the sun, the sky will darken as though it were nighttime, the temperature may drop several degrees, and birds and other animals may behave as though they are preparing for nightfall, according to NASA.

The moon's shadow will then gradually move away, revealing the sun once more as the moon continues its orbit around the Earth.

If cloud cover does obscure our view of the eclipse this afternoon, or you don't have solar eclipse glasses to safely observe the event, there are many online options to watch the total eclipse live, for free, including these websites:

This article originally appeared on The Daily American: Cloud cover in forecast may obscure solar eclipse in Somerset County, PA