# What is the % Sky Cover Forecasted for your Eclipse Visit? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 18, 2017, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-sky-cover-forecasted-for-your-eclipse-visit/794004 "2017-08-18T21:10:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2017, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-sky-cover-forecasted-for-your-eclipse-visit/794004/1 "2017-08-18T21:10:01Z")
To find % Sky Cover go to [http://www.weather.gov/](http://www.weather.gov/) Enter your Zipcode or City/State at Local Forecast, then press Go There will be a big temperature number. On the right hand of the screen there will be a choice under More Information: Click on **Hourly Weather Forecast** The third lower chart includes Relative Humidity (%) Precipitation Potential (%) and **Sky Cover (%)**. Sky Cover % is the blue line. On today (Friday) or Saturday you will have to click the **Forward Two Days** button near the top of the screen to see the numbers for Monday and the eclipse time. Unfortunately the number where I was thinking of going is over 50%. ---
**Author:** ![Solanaceae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ac8455/32.png) [@Solanaceae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Solanaceae)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2017, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-sky-cover-forecasted-for-your-eclipse-visit/794004/2 "2017-08-18T21:11:04Z")
Around 96% here in Springfield IL. our school is supplying glasses so we can watch. ---
**Author:** ![HipGnosis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/76d3ee/32.png) [@HipGnosis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HipGnosis)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2017, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-sky-cover-forecasted-for-your-eclipse-visit/794004/3 "2017-08-20T01:20:59Z")
> [@Solanaceae](#): > > Around 96% here in Springfield IL. our school is supplying glasses so we can watch. Cool. I’m in Wisc and going to the Springfield area to see it. I am leaving Monday morning and will find a parking spot when the traffic gets bad or the eclipse starts. Thanks for looking it up for me!! ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2017, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-sky-cover-forecasted-for-your-eclipse-visit/794004/4 "2017-08-20T03:07:45Z")
First go here - [https://www.gps-coordinates.net/](https://www.gps-coordinates.net/) You will get your **exact** location latitude, longitude and altitude. You want the DMS (degrees, minutes, seconds) numbers. Then go here: [http://aa.usno.navy.mil/data/docs/Eclipse2017.php](http://aa.usno.navy.mil/data/docs/Eclipse2017.php) Use **Form B** so you can enter your exact coordinates. When you Get Data, you will see more than you need. Just remember the times are UT, Universal Time. If you got this far, convert UT to your local time should be easy. ---
**Author:** ![standingwave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@standingwave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/standingwave)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2017, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-sky-cover-forecasted-for-your-eclipse-visit/794004/5 "2017-08-20T05:12:24Z")
0%. 😃 10% on Sunday but dropping to 0% fiver hours before the main event and staying that way. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/22080_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2017, 10:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-sky-cover-forecasted-for-your-eclipse-visit/794004/6 "2017-08-20T10:20:08Z")
82% in southern Merrylande. I don’t have the fancy glasses, so I won’t be looking, but I may walk outside when it hits max just to see if I can tell. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2017, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-sky-cover-forecasted-for-your-eclipse-visit/794004/7 "2017-08-20T15:18:12Z")
We’re forecasted for clear skies on Monday in the South Bay. I expect SF will be foggy, as usual this time of year. One month later and we’d be in the time you’d expect clear skies up in the city. But then we’re only 75% eclipse, and my experience from having watched one from “ground zero” years ago is that you don’t really notice much until you get to more like 90% coverage of the sun. I’ll be out checking it out, but I don’t expect to see much. ---
**Author:** ![race\_to\_the\_bottom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c4cdca/32.png) [@race\_to\_the\_bottom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/race_to_the_bottom)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2017, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-sky-cover-forecasted-for-your-eclipse-visit/794004/8 "2017-08-21T01:27:04Z")
Albany Or. Sky coverage about 7%. Looks good. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2017, 9:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-sky-cover-forecasted-for-your-eclipse-visit/794004/9 "2017-08-21T09:41:47Z")
49% here on Anna Maria Island. Flip a coin: maybe we’ll see the moon cover 80% of the sun, maybe we won’t. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2017, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-sky-cover-forecasted-for-your-eclipse-visit/794004/10 "2017-08-21T13:09:51Z")
Figures. Nearly 300 sunny days a year in this town and the morning is overcast. Well, they’re saying about 50% at noon local time, so maybe we’ll get lucky. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2017, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-sky-cover-forecasted-for-your-eclipse-visit/794004/11 "2017-08-21T13:20:07Z")
66% ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2017, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-sky-cover-forecasted-for-your-eclipse-visit/794004/12 "2017-08-21T13:27:49Z")
57-58% in west Michigan. Right now, it looks about 100% covered, although that weather tool says 54%, so we’ll see what things look like in a few hours. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2017, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-sky-cover-forecasted-for-your-eclipse-visit/794004/13 "2017-08-21T13:28:55Z")
Looks like about 50% here in the heart and kidneys of DC. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2017, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-sky-cover-forecasted-for-your-eclipse-visit/794004/14 "2017-08-21T15:40:59Z")
90% in Central Colorado. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2017, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-sky-cover-forecasted-for-your-eclipse-visit/794004/15 "2017-08-21T15:50:29Z")
62 here in Ottawa. ---
**Author:** ![TimeWinder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bcef8e/32.png) [@TimeWinder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TimeWinder)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2017, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-sky-cover-forecasted-for-your-eclipse-visit/794004/16 "2017-08-21T15:55:40Z")
4% here, but I’m not seeing any. It’s possible there’s a 4% reduction from the wildfires, but otherwise clear skies. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2017, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-sky-cover-forecasted-for-your-eclipse-visit/794004/17 "2017-08-21T16:05:55Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > 62 here in Ottawa. Oh, SKY covered. Sorry I read it as the percent of the sun covered. I don’t even know what “percent sky cover” means? If there’s a 10% chance of rain does that mean the sky is 90% covered? ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/22080_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2017, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-sky-cover-forecasted-for-your-eclipse-visit/794004/18 "2017-08-21T16:14:30Z")
I read the question wrong also - so ignore what I posted. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2017, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-sky-cover-forecasted-for-your-eclipse-visit/794004/19 "2017-08-21T16:22:35Z")
> [@FairyChatMom](#): > > I read the question wrong also - so ignore what I posted. Same here. Should be pretty clear. Doesn’t usually cloud up till afternoon. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2017, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-sky-cover-forecasted-for-your-eclipse-visit/794004/20 "2017-08-21T17:24:58Z")
NE Florida, here: started to thundershower about 12:30; eclipse starts about 1:15, goes 3 hours. Mother Nature is a nasty old snot. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-sky-cover-forecasted-for-your-eclipse-visit/794004.md?page=2)