The last of the soggy weather was pushed out of Maine on Sunday, clearing the way for a beautiful day to view the total solar eclipse that is passing through the state today.
Against all odds, forecasters aren’t seeing any significant cloud patterns forming over much of the state Monday, meaning that people in Maine will have the perfect opportunity to see the moon totally occlude the sun for up to 3 ½ minutes around 3:30 p.m. this afternoon.
Although the day starts off chilly, recovering from overnight lows in the high 20s, temperatures across the state are expected to be in the high 50s and low 60s by midday. Warmer temperatures on Sunday afternoon cleared a significant amount of snow left over from last week’s nor’easter, allowing air temperatures to climb.
Be prepared for those warm temperatures to drop in the minutes leading up to eclipse totality, as a downward shift of five to 10 degrees can happen at the event’s darkened zenith.
Some pesky clouds could affect visibility in northeastern Aroostook County, with some models showing anywhere from 10 to 30 percent cloud cover making its way into the region. The danger of significant cloud cover remains to be seen, and forecasters will be updating their outlook throughout the day.
Some clouds located higher in the atmosphere will also start to move into the southwest region of the state this afternoon, but are unlikely to impact viewing opportunities for those in the path of totality.
The remaining danger for travelers continues to be snow melt. Daytime temperatures have consistently been above freezing, allowing the ground to thaw and become saturated. This will continue to make travel on rural and damaged roads difficult, and anyone planning to park in an unpaved lot or near a field are cautioned to bring sturdy shoes.
Temperatures likely won’t climb back to their daily highs following eclipse totality, with sunset at 7:10 p.m. in Houlton. Overnight temperatures in the high 20s are expected in the northern regions of the state, with temperatures dipping into the low 30s in the southern regions.
Tuesday will be a pleasant day to travel, with highs in the upper 40s to low 50s from north to south. Clouds that will bring some scattered showers across the state on Wednesday will start to move in Tuesday night, but aren’t expected to drastically change road conditions.
Want to share pictures or anecdotes about your eclipse experience? Email us at [email protected].
