What will Pueblo weather be like during the April 8 solar eclipse? Here's a way-too-early look

It's a bit early to predict precisely what will happen with Pueblo's weather during the solar eclipse April 8, but a couple of early projections are calling for partly cloudy skies and a high near 68 degrees.

According to both AccuWeather and the Weather Channel, partly cloudy skies are expected. A meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Pueblo said the office will be able to give a more accurate forecast a bit closer to April 8.

According to the National Weather Service website, south central and southeast Colorado residents will see between 65% and 75% coverage when the moon passes in front of the sun, and that will max out between 12:35 p.m. and 12:45 p.m.

Even if it is partly cloudy the eclipse can still be spectacular as seen in this 2017 photo.
Even if it is partly cloudy the eclipse can still be spectacular as seen in this 2017 photo.

"The map of early April climatology suggests between 70% to 80% of viewability (no clouds) across much of southern Colorado. Remember to never look directly into the sun, as the only way to safely view the eclipse is through special 'eclipse glasses' or specially designed solar viewers," the weather service notes.

William Brown of the Southern Colorado Astronomical Society Club is presenting a talk on the eclipse at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 2, in room 126 of the Physics/Math building at Colorado State University Pueblo, 2200 Bonforte Blvd. During the talk, Brown will provide tips on safe eclipse viewing.

"It is so dangerous and people forget that you should never look at the sun. Severe burns can damage your eyes and you will never, ever recover," Brown said. "Using something that collects light and concentrates it like telescopes or binoculars are the worst."

Brown said eclipse glasses should be used and only taken off when the sun is completely obscured by the moon. When the sun starts to peek out from behind the moon, put the glasses back on.

"While this will be the last solar eclipse visible across the contiguous United States until 2044, the path of totality for the August 12, 2045 solar eclipse will be across south central and southeast Colorado," according to the National Weather Service website.

To find out more about the eclipse and the weather for the day, log onto weather.gov.

More eclipse news: What time is the April 8 solar eclipse in Pueblo, Colorado? Find out here with your ZIP code

Chieftain reporter Tracy Harmon covers business news. She can be reached by email at tharmon@chieftain.com or via Xformerly Twitter, at twitter.com/tracywumps. Support local news, subscribe to The Pueblo Chieftain at subscribe.chieftain.com.

This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: What forecasts predict for Pueblo weather during April 8 solar eclipse