As the time approaches see the solar eclipse on August 12 2026, many of us are asking the same question: Will the weather be good? This is a relevant question whenever we are going to observe one of these astronomical phenomena. Nobody wants rain to ruin their show. However, specifically, it is even more important to look at the sky, since the Moon will obscure the Sun very close to sunset, so clouds can be especially treacherous.
Today, we cannot know for sure what will happen. Weather predictions are more accurate the closer the date gets. To be considered reliable, they must be done about 3 days in advance. However, the first trend maps for the week of the eclipse are already beginning to appear. They are relatively optimistic, although they do not paint an ideal scenario either.
Drier days than normal. In general, the forecasts they point because the days will be drier than normal for these dates in Extremadura, northern Andalusia and eastern Castilla y La Mancha. At these points the solar eclipse will not be seen in its entirety, but a good part of the Sun will be covered and the spectacle will be worth enjoying. On the other hand, there is a small area with less luck, since more rain than normal is expected at this time. These are the rest of Castilla la Mancha and south-central Aragon. Here we do find some points of the strip of totality.
Dry does not mean cloudless. Just because rain is not expected does not mean that the skies will be completely clear or without haze. We cannot predict the haze so far in advance and neither can the clouds. Yes, we know that in inland places like Burgos, Soria either Teruelthe weather in August usually favors clear skies, although there may be afternoon storms that ruin the sunset. In the north, for its part, we will have to pay attention to the Atlantic cloudiness.
And what about the heat? The first trend maps indicate that the day of the eclipse will be warmer than normal in practically all of Spain. Surprise for no one, with the summer we have. For this reason, much emphasis is being placed on wearing a hat and cool clothing, as well as carrying bottles of water to avoid the effects of the heat. During the exact moment of the eclipse, temperatures drop for obvious reasons, but it is normal to go to the site well before, so the heat can be a problem if we do not take precautions.
The problem of the sunset. At the time the eclipse will take place, the Sun will be very close to the horizon. At that point, it happens that the light has to go a longer way through the atmosphere to reach us. The atmosphere dims sunlight. Therefore, as it travels through more of the atmosphere, the light arrives very weak. If we add to that a few clouds in the west, the eclipse could be ruined. Furthermore, there is the problem that, with the Sun this low, Even clouds hundreds of miles away can be annoyingagain because light must travel a very long path to reach us.
Anyway, we will have to be patient. When the date gets much closer, we will be able to know with more certainty if there will be annoying clouds. In fact, even knowing it, we can have some surprises at the last moment. There have even been cases of cloudy and stormy skies that They have opened for a few seconds during the eclipse by pure luck. Even with late-breaking clouds, the solar eclipse should not be considered lost.
Image | Magnific/Wikimedia Commons
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