'Good day for it': Way too early forecast for total eclipse in New Hampshire and Maine
One week away from a once-in-a-lifetime celestial spectacle, the weather forecast for the April 8 total eclipse calls for cloudless skies.
The eclipse that will traverse from Mexico, through a large swath of the United States and northeastern Canada, will be fully visible in northern New Hampshire and Maine. In all, 15 states will be in the eclipse’s path of totality.
The total eclipse - when the moon comes in perfect alignment with the sun, blocking light for a short time - will be visible for communities in northern New Hampshire, which will fall in the eclipse’s umbral shadow.
Any eclipse watchers located elsewhere in New Hampshire, including those in the Seacoast and Strafford County, will be able to view a partial eclipse from within its penumbral shadow using eclipse glasses. About 94% to 96% of the sun will be blocked locally. The difference between that and totality is striking, according to University of New Hampshire observatory director John Gianforte.
'Good chance' weather will be ideal with clear skies for eclipse in NH and Maine
Throughout the Granite State, predictions for next Monday’s weather look to be optimal for the rare event.
“There’s a good chance it won’t be cloudy,” said Donny Dumont, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Gray, Maine.
In the Seacoast and Strafford County, as well as in northern New Hampshire in the direct line of totality, Monday looks to be dry without precipitation. Temperatures toward the southern half of the state could range between the 50s and 60s, while up north they could dip into the 40s.
“There’s a good chance it’ll be a good day for it,” he added.
The National Weather Service will likely have a firmer forecast three to four days prior to the eclipse, according to Dumont.
This week, days before the eclipse, a storm with snow, rain and minor coastal flooding is expected to hit New Hampshire and Maine Wednesday night into Thursday, followed by more rain on Friday.
The several inches of anticipated snow and rainfall could leave most of New Hampshire a “muddy mess” on the day of the eclipse, Dumont added.
“You just want a clear horizon,” he said, when asked about the best locations to view the eclipse.
When is peak time for eclipse viewing in NH?
In New Hampshire, the peak of the eclipse will be around 3:30 p.m. on April 8 and will be visible for close to three minutes and 30 seconds for those watching from within the umbral shadow.
New Hampshire won’t be in another solar eclipse’s path of totality again until 2079, according to information released by state officials.
When can I see eclipse in NH and Maine? Search by zip code here!
This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Early forecast for total solar eclipse in NH and Maine
