Clouds should clear in time for eclipse
It seems like the Lehigh Valley has been stuck with the same cycle for several days — rainy and breezy with cooler temperatures that even a brief appearance from the sun can’t fix.
Spring-like weather is just around the corner, though, and just in time for Monday’s solar eclipse.
The National Weather Service is predicting gradually improving conditions over the weekend before temps pass the 60-degree mark on Monday.
The sun will be around most of the day Sunday with a high of 55.
Monday is expected to be mostly sunny with a high near 63.
“Still anticipate mostly clear skies on Monday with some mid-level clouds later in the afternoon,” the NWS in Mount Holly, New Jersey, said Saturday morning. “This should result in a pretty good viewing of the solar eclipse across our area. While we are forecasting afternoon highs on Monday in the upper 50s to low 60s, we may see temps actually cool by 10 degrees or more due to the loss of solar radiation during the peak of the eclipse.”
The Lehigh Valley is not in the path of totality, but observers should be able to see roughly 92% coverage during the eclipse that afternoon. The event begins around 2:08 p.m. in the Valley, and the moon will cover about 92% of the sun around 3:23 p.m., according to NASA.
Here is the extended forecast from the National Weather Service:
Monday night: Partly cloudy, low around 44.
Tuesday: Mostly sunny, high near 73.
Tuesday night: Chance of showers after 9 p.m., but mostly cloudy, with a low around 46. Chance of precipitation is 40%.
Wednesday: A chance of showers before 9 a.m., then a chance of showers after 3 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 59. Chance of precipitation is 40%.
Wednesday night: Showers likely after 3 a.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 47. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Thursday: Rain. High near 63. Chance of precipitation is 80%.
Thursday night: Rain. Low around 53. Chance of precipitation is 80%.
Friday: Rain likely. Partly sunny, with a high near 65. Breezy. Chance of precipitation is 70%.