Will Greenville be able to see the eclipse today? Here's what we know about cloud cover.
Those watching today's eclipse event in the Upstate will get to enjoy warm weather while doing so. Anderson, Greenville and Spartanburg counties will have temperatures in the mid 70s, according to weather.com.
Because South Carolina is not in the eclipse path of totality, the state will experience a partial eclipse this year, which is much different from 2017's total eclipse. A partial eclipse occurs when the moon passes between the sun and Earth. The earth, moon and sun will not perfectly align, and only a part of the sun will appear covered, the sun giving off a crescent shape.
During this afternoon's eclipse event, residents should expect to see some cloud cover, which may affect the viewing experience.
What will the temperature be?
∎ Anderson: High 76 degree, low 57 degrees, 11 mph winds
∎ Greenville: High 75 degrees, low 57 degrees, 13 mph winds
∎ Spartanburg: High 75 degrees, low 55 degrees, 6 mph winds
What to know about cloud cover
According to the National Weather Service at Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport, there will be 40%-50% of cloud cover around the time of the eclipse, which may obscure it from view.
"The cloud cover will mostly be higher clouds, generally about 20,000 feet, so it's mostly higher cirrus clouds over the area during that time." stated Jeffrey Taylor with the NWS.
Clouds could obstruct the view of the eclipse in several different ways. Thin clouds could limit the appearance of the prominences coming from the sun's corona. With thick clouds, viewers in the path of totality will still experience the darkening of daylight but would miss a few features of this year's active sun, such as action from magnetic loops or the coronal mass ejection.
Clear skies are favorable conditions when it comes to eclipse viewing, but residents do not need to worry too much ― they will still be able to see the partial eclipse.
Where, when to watch eclipse in the Upstate
The eclipse's magnitude will depend on where you are viewing it in the state, appearing larger in the Upstate and smaller in the Lowcountry and coastal areas.
The following is a selection of cities and the best times to watch the eclipse via eclipse2024.org:
∎ Anderson: 3:08 p.m.
∎ Charleston: 3:08 p.m.
∎ Columbia: 3:10 p.m.
∎ Greenville: 3:09 p.m.
∎ Myrtle Beach: 3:13 p.m.
∎ Spartanburg: 3:09 p.m.
For more cities and times, visit here.
Nina Tran covers trending topics. Reach her via email at ntran@gannett.com
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Cloud cover is expected for Upstate eclipse viewing. What to know.
