Hoosiers are just days away from witnessing the total solar eclipse, and weather forecasters are now predicting mostly sunny skies for the event.
The National Weather Service in Indianapolis offers a 7-day forecast, and despite the dreary chill we’ve experienced lately, the weather during the eclipse could be mild.
Monday’s forecasts have flip-flopped a bit this week, but here’s what meteorologists are forecasting as of April 5.
What’s Indianapolis weather like for April 8?
Just a weekend away, the forecast is still a bit limited and may change as Monday draws closer.
The NWS local meteorologists in Indy say the skies will be mostly sunny on April 8. This is a much better outlook than previous forecasts that all called for at least some cloud cover.
Temperatures are expected to hit a high of 72 degrees with winds out of the southwest blowing through around 11-17 mph.
State parks prepare for eclipse:Prepare for Indiana’s solar eclipse with these outdoor events
NWS Weather Prediction forecast for the eclipse
The NWS Weather Prediction Center, based out of Maryland, shows improved conditions for Indianapolis during the eclipse.
The center is forecasting that clear skies are now more likely over Indianapolis and Central Indiana — a huge improvement from previous forecasts that called for at least 50% cloud cover. Northern and southern Indiana are still expected to see some clouds.
Central Indiana, according to the center, seems to have a pocket of clear skies when most of the Midwest region will see cloud cover.
Hazardous weather outlooks are still uncertain.
What does historic weather data show for the eclipse?
IndyStar analyzed historic weather data earlier this year and found disappointing news when it comes to the state’s cloud cover on April 8.
The cloud cover data between 2000 and 2023 fails to mention the word “sunny” even once, with the best observation being “fair.”
NWS defines a “fair” sky as having less than 3/8ths cloud cover. “Partly cloudy” means between 3/8ths and 5/8ths cloud cover. “Mostly cloudy” is when 6/8 to 7/8 of the sky is covered with opaque clouds. And “cloudy” means 7/8ths or more of the sky is obscured.
The breakdown of recent April 8 cloud-cover observations looks like this:
- Fair — 5 days
- Partly cloudy — 3 days
- Mostly cloudy — 6 days
- Cloudy — 10 days
Others are reading:The total solar eclipse is just days away. Here’s everything you need to know
Karl Schneider is an IndyStar environment reporter. You can reach him at karl.schneider@indystar.com. Follow him on Twitter @karlstartswithk
IndyStar’s environmental reporting project is made possible through the generous support of the nonprofit Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust.
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