Corning's weather outlook during the eclipse is taking shape, and it looks like good news

Riccardo Monico, Corning Leader
·2 min read

Southern Tier weather may favor eclipse viewers on Monday, as an early April storm moves out of the area.

While not directly in the path of totality, most Corning-area residents will see about 98% coverage during the April 8 partial eclipse, which begins at 2:07 p.m. in the Corning area, reaches maximum coverage at 3:22 p.m. and ends at 4:33 p.m.

David Nicosia, Meteorologist-In-Charge for the National Weather Service in Binghamton covering the Southern Tier, said local residents can expect favorable conditions.

"Looks like skies will be mostly clear," he said Thursday afternoon. "There likely will be some high clouds around. But other than that, it should be fine."

What will Corning weather be like Monday afternoon?

The National Weather Service's latest outlook suggests mostly sunny skies on Monday, with a high near 62 degrees. AccuWeather's early forecast for Corning is a little less optimistic, projecting mostly cloudy skies Monday afternoon.

The area has seen an average high temperature of 48 degrees on April 8, and between 1952 and 2023, 0.01 inches of precipitation was seen 44% of the time. The average high temperature is a little warmer further west in the Southern Tier, at 52.6 degrees in Elmira and 56.3 degrees in Dansville.

NOAA and the North Carolina Institute for Climate Studies reviewed past cloud data based on historical averages to predict cloud conditions during the eclipse.

According to their estimates, here’s the likelihood of clear skies across the Southern Tier:

  • Binghamton: 51.5%

  • Ithaca: 51.9%

  • Elmira: 51.9%

  • Corning: 51.9%

  • Hornell: 34.2%

The best places to witness the eclipse include open parks or waterfront areas with unobstructed views of the sky.

Corning Museum of Glass will host an outdoor viewing space for guests between 2-4 p.m. Monday.

Corning-Painted Post and other area school districts have planned a half day of school on April 8, with educational activities during the morning. Wegmans will close from 3-3:30 p.m. during the eclipse.

This article originally appeared on The Leader: What will Corning weather be during the eclipse? Here's the latest