Here’s how much of the eclipse you’ll be able to see from Tri-Cities, best times to watch
It’s almost time for another solar eclipse, North America. If you enjoy watching the sun get blocked out by the moon, you might want to schedule some time outside on the morning of Monday, April 8.
Although most of North America will be able to witness the upcoming eclipse to some extent, the southern and eastern parts of the United States will enjoy the best viewing.
The path of totality will hit North American soil in Mexico, with the coastal city of Mazatlan the first to witness the eclipse at approximately 10:07 a.m. Pacific Time.
The eclipse will then take a northeasterly path, entering the United States through Texas and continuing through Arkansas, Illinois and Indiana before skirting along the U.S.-Canadian border in the northeast U.S.
While Tri-Cities won’t see a total solar eclipse, that doesn’t mean the phenomena won’t be at least partially visible from eastern Washington. 99% of the country will be able to see the shadow cast by the moon.
Here’s when it will be visible in Tri-Cities and how much of it you’ll be able to see.
But trying to look even briefly at the sun without special viewing protection can permanently damage your retina.
Eclipse viewing in Tri-Cities
The best time to see the eclipse is just before noon on April 8. According to NASA, the eclipse will come into view in the Tri-Cities area at 10:36 a.m, although it will only be barely visible at first. It will peak around 11:30 a.m., and remain visible until 12:27 p.m.
26.3% of the sun’s area will be blocked at the peak of the eclipse in Tri-Cities, according to NASA.
The eclipse’s magnitude – the percentage of the sun’s width blocked by the moon – will be 37.5% percent at the peak, according to timeanddate.com.
If you want a better view of the eclipse, you might be out of luck unless you take a flight – Tri-Cities is nearly 2,000 miles from the closest cities on the path of totality, in Texas.
What about the weather?
The National Weather Service predicts a high of 63 degrees on Monday with sunny conditions, which should allow for optimal viewing.
The hourly forecast shows temperatures reaching 56 degrees when the eclipse should be in view, and a low cloud cover of 16%. No precipitation or excessive wind is expected.
This story was originally published April 4, 2024 at 12:09 PM.
