Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - Millions of Americans are planning road trips and outdoor events to witness the astronomy event of the decade. And the road may well lead to Buffalo and Western New York, which is a prime viewing area for the event's totality.
Of course, it all depends on the weather.
AccuWeather’s expert meteorologists and long-range forecasters have issued an early viewing forecast along the path of totality, stretching across the United States from Texas to Maine, including the Buffalo-Niagara region.
“You definitely want to be looking at the sky on April 8, because if you miss the solar eclipse this year, you have to wait two decades until the next chance to see a total solar eclipse from the United States,” said AccuWeather Astronomy Expert and Meteorologist Brian Lada “That’s happening in 2044, but only in parts of Montana and the Dakotas, followed by an even more impressive total solar eclipse from California to Florida in 2045.”
What areas have the best chance for clear skies?
AccuWeather Lead Long-Range Forecaster Paul Pastelok says the best locations for favorable weather during the total solar eclipse may be in Southern Texas, areas of the Ohio Valley, and the Great Lakes region.
Based on this initial long range forecast, the Western New York region falls into areas designated as 'good' or 'fair' for viewing the eclipse.
The odds of cloudy weather are a little higher in the Mississippi Valley and Tennessee Valley.
At this time, it appears that the Northeast faces the highest chance of clouds blocking the view of the total eclipse.
All of that said, we’re still a month out, so there is a chance that cloud-free weather could win out in these areas when the sun, moon and earth align on April 8.
Local Meteorologist Andy Parker, who will be part of WBEN's Eclipse coverage on April 8, is a little more guarded about the forecast.
"You're not going to know whether you have a decent shot at it, until you're about a week out. And then when you're within a three day period, you're going to know, pretty much, if it's going to be a bad day. You'll be able to rule a bad day out quicker than a good day," he said.
Parker also said an x-factor could be Lake Erie.
"You have cooler water and the potential for a lake shadow. During the afternoon, you could see clouds pop up inland, about 5 or 10 miles away, but at the lakeshore, you'll find the air is more stabilized." He added, that the lake shadow effect is something that could be a positive for Buffalo.
The gradual weakening of El Niño is one of the factors taken into account when creating AccuWeather's first cloud forecast for the solar eclipse. El Niño occurs when the water temperature near the equator of the eastern Pacific Ocean is above historical averages, which in turn alters the weather patterns across North America.
We'll continue to track the long-range eclipse forecast as time ticks away toward the big event April 8.
