With one week to go before the much-anticipated celestial event that is expected to draw more than one million visitors to Niagara Falls, prompting the city to issue a state of emergency, forecasters are getting a clearer picture of what to expect.
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And things are looking great for Canada. In fact, parts of the country may have the best seats in the house to view the solar eclipse, whether it’s a partial glimpse or a full viewing in the path of totality –– depending on the location.
As we look at the weather models, what we see as of Monday, April 1 is a ridge of high pressure pattern coming to fruition over parts of Eastern Canada –– Ontario, Quebec and New Brunswick.
What that means is a realistic chance for millions to view the eclipse as the pattern is renowned for its sinking air and clearer skies. So, don’t prepare the car for a long haul just yet. You may not need to travel far for a premium, front-row seat to the spectacle.
In fact, as it may turn out, the best seat in the house might just be in your backyard.
First cloud-cover forecast favours some Canadian locales over others
After mulling over the available data, we have formulated our first cloud-cover forecast for the event. As always, more intricate details will become fine-tuned closer to April 8, so expect some shifts and changes in the days leading up to it.
Our highest confidence forecast exists in southern Quebec, parts of eastern Ontario and portions of New Brunswick for a good viewing opportunity.
These regions are looking to be sandwiched in between two systems, so sunshine and partly cloudy conditions are the most likely outcome. The timing of a weekend system’s departure will make all the difference in Atlantic Canada, resulting in our medium confidence for fair conditions. Newfoundland has a chance of lingering showers and poor visibility on the day of the eclipse, if the system’s movement is sluggish.
Our lowest confidence exists in southern Ontario for fair conditions.