Environment

Will clouds eclipse chances to see the eclipse? It's pretty likely

Jefferson Public Radio | By Roman Battaglia

Published October 11, 2023 at 2:49 PM PDT

An annular eclipse is viewed from a waterfront park in Yokohama, Japan, near Tokyo, Monday, May 21, 2012. On Saturday, Oct. 14, 2023, an annular solar eclipse, better known as a ring of fire, will briefly dim the skies over parts of the western U.S. and Central and South America. Proper protection is needed throughout the eclipse, from the initial partial phase to the ring of fire to the final partial phase.

Communities between Albany and Klamath Falls will be in the direct line of the annular solar eclipse on Saturday.

National Weather Service Meteorologist Tim Daldrup in Medford said a weather system moving across the state in the morning will bring clouds, but they’re hoping for the right kind of clouds.

“If we wanna see it we’ll want the higher level clouds," Daldrup said. "Those tend to be the more feathery cirrus clouds that can still be seen through. They might obstruct the eclipse but you can still see it.”

The cloud cover could also be lighter east of the Cascades, in places like Klamath Falls. On the west side, the chance of thicker, lower level clouds is greater.

"It does look pretty certain that there will be cloud cover," said Daldrup. "But we're keeping an eye on any possibility for little breaks in it or any lesser cloud cover where the eclipse can still be viewed."

Daldrup said people looking to see the eclipse should check the forecast on Thursday or Friday, when they’ll have a more accurate picture of exactly where clouds are expected.
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