Michigan’s Total Eclipse Roulette: Will Clouds Block Your View?

A large swath of the continental United States is getting ready to witness a total solar eclipse in April 2024 - including a small part of Michigan - but will the weather cooperate for would-be viewers?

Forecasters say there are definitely some areas where eclipse gazers will have a better chance at an unobstructed view than others.

April's Total Solar Eclipse in Michigan: What You Need to Know

The sun, the moon and Earth - in that order - will experience a rare alignment during the afternoon of Monday, April 8, 2024. The result will be a total solar eclipse that crosses the United States from Texas to Maine. In layman's terms, the moon will block the sun from view for a few brief minutes.

At least three-quarters of the sun will be blocked during the eclipse no matter where you are in Michigan, but if you happen to be in extreme southeast Michigan (just north of Toledo, Ohio), you'll be in what's called the path of totality where the eclipse will be at 100%.

READ MORE: Here's the Best Place in Michigan to View April's Total Solar Eclipse

Should be a pretty cool sight to behold. That is, of course, unless Michigan weather refuses to cooperate.

Will Clouds Keep Michiganders From Viewing the Total Eclipse?

AccuWeather has studied past trends and released its predictions as to where eclipse viewing this April should be optimal, as well as where it might not be.

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The map below shows AccuWeather's cloud cover forecast for the date of the eclipse. Green areas have the highest likelihood of being cloud-free during the event. Areas shaded in yellow have a moderate chance of seeing the eclipse blocked by clouds, while areas indicated in red are most likely to miss out.

Of course, what actually happens on April 8 may vary wildly from the trends indicated here. But historically speaking, Michigan stands a decent chance of seeing the eclipse blocked by clouds.

If you really, really want to make sure you see this eclipse in its totality, looks like a road trip south to Indiana or Ohio might be the way to go.