From West Plains to Cape Girardeau, a stretch of over 115 miles in south and southeastern Missouri will have a total solar eclipse viewing window from 1:55 p.m. to 2:04 p.m. CT on April 8th when the Moon blocks out the Sun, casting part of the Show Me State into temporary darkness.
FOX WEATHER WIRE LIVE COVERAGE: TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE APRIL 2024
Here’s what you need to know about viewing the eclipse in Missouri.
A total solar eclipse happens when the Moon passes between the Sun and the Earth, completely blocking the face of the Sun for several minutes.
From partial eclipse through totality, the process takes several hours. The final moments before totality include displays of light known as Baily’s Beads and the Diamond Ring caused by the pock-marked surface of the Moon.
The path of totality will sweep across the southeast corner of the Show Me State from the Arkansas-Missouri border, beginning near Gainesville and exiting Missouri to the northeast near Cape Girardeau and the Illinois state line.
Residents and visitors in Popular Bluff will have a prime opportunity to witness the total eclipse.
A total solar eclipse is an hours-long event from partial eclipse through totality and partial eclipse again. However, totality will last between a few seconds to over 4 minutes, depending on where you are within the 115-mile-wide path of totality.
The first signs of the crescent of a partial eclipse in Missouri will happen near Thayer at 1:22 p.m. CT with totality at 1:54:20 p.m. The city will see 3 minutes 58 seconds of totality and the final partial eclipse ending at 2:29 p.m. CT.
In Doniphan, totality lasts more than 4 minutes. The partial eclipse begins at 1:23 p.m. CT and totality starts at 1:55:28 p.m.
Being closer to the center of the path of totality, Marble Hill will also have over 4 minutes of near darkness. Totality begins at 1:57:36 p.m. and ends at 2:01:47 p.m. In Perryville, totality also begins just before 2 p.m. and ends just before 2:02 p.m.
A clear sky is key to watching a total solar eclipse.
TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE LIVE TRACKER: CLOUD FORECASTS FOR CITIES, STATES IN PATH OF TOTALITY
The FOX Forecast Center has put together the cloud cover forecast shown on the map below, showing areas with an overcast sky, many clouds or few clouds during the eclipse. As the eclipse nears, computer forecast models will improve and be able to give forecasters a better idea of what the sky will look like on the big day.
Below is a look at what to expect in the hours before and after the eclipse in Cape Girardeau, Missouri.
TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE FORECAST SHOWS WHO HAS BEST CHANCE FOR CLEAR SKIES ON APRIL 8TH
Check back with FOX Weather for updates to the forecast as the date of the eclipse approaches, and add your viewing location to the “Events” tab in the FOX Weather app.
Southeast Missouri is gearing up for an extremely rare event. The state expects large crowds, including visitors from out of state and even out of the country, who will attend weekend festivals and watch the eclipse the following Monday.
Motorists are advised to plan ahead if they want to view the eclipse. Know where you want to be and make accommodations as early as possible.
There are 20 Missouri State Parks and historic sites where you can see the total eclipse, but those will likely be booked soon.
HERE’S WHAT NOT TO DO DURING THE TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE ON APRIL 8TH
Plan to arrive at your viewing location early and stay long after the eclipse to avoid the most traffic. Bring plenty of food, water, sunscreen and gas up your vehicle.
Print out a map or bring an Atlas. During totality and after, internet connections and cellphone networks may be overloaded.
After April 8, 2024, the next total solar eclipse won’t happen in parts of the U.S. until 2044. According to Timeanddate.com, it will cover a swath of Canada and a small portion of the northern Plains. Another eclipse in August 2045 will cover a much larger portion of the U.S.