“Oh dark, dark, amid the blaze of noon,
Irrecoverably dark, total Eclipse
Without all hope of day!     
~  John Milton (1671)

All systems are clear for “The Great American Eclipse.” But will the skies clear over the Crescenta Valley by Monday at 9:05 a.m. to begin our viewing? No matter the state of the lower atmosphere, nothing will stop the forces of nature. The movement of celestial orbs will not cease regardless of foggy or clear skies. Unfortunately, in recent days the sun has not shown its face until past noon. Thus far, the weather forecast for the upcoming eclipse is not a good one. In fact, the marine layer is expected to deepen on Sunday continuing into next week. June gloom arrives unseasonably late this summer.  We may need to travel farther inland “where skies are not cloudy all day.”

Historically, August is the sunniest month in the continental United States. During that time, an observer standing along the path of the eclipse has a 60% chance of unobstructed visibility. Who would imagine we, in sunny Southern California, might be part of the 40% minority?

Traveling to Oregon and Idaho, the percentage of seeing the eclipse unobstructed climbs to 85%. Locally, if one is willing to monitor weather forecasts and drive a few extra miles, the odds can be beaten. Keep your tank full and ready to go!

Before the big day, here is an overview.

The first total solar eclipse since 1979 will cross the continental United States on Aug. 21 when a 70-mile wide shadow of the Moon sweeps across the Earth, travelling from the North Pacific, south of the Aleutian Islands, to the Eastern Atlantic near the Cape Verde Islands in a little over three hours. Unfortunately, here and at most U.S. locations, the eclipse will not be at 100% totality. According to astronomers at Griffith Observatory in LA, slightly under 70% of the Sun’s diameter will be eclipsed in this part of the state.

For more, check out http://griffithobservatory.org/events/Solar_Eclipse_August_2017.html.

As you wait for Monday, a few lesser-known facts to ponder.

• Many ancient cultures interpreted eclipses to be direct messages from the gods.

• Chinese manuscripts, dating to 2100 BCE, reveal the first documented eclipse.

• Temperatures can drop significantly and winds increase and change direction during an eclipse.

• If a solar eclipse is total at any point on Earth, it is called a total solar eclipse, even though it’s seen as a partial solar eclipse in most areas. Therefore, ours is a “total eclipse!”

Up until now, most meteorologists agreed that, viewing-wise, the eclipse’s timing was perfect. The summer thunderstorm season is winding down and retreating southward; the Arizona monsoon is breaking; and the storm-carrying jet stream has not yet begun its journey southward from Canada. The dry and generally sunny fall season is about to begin. We’ll have to wait and (hopefully) see.

The temperatures will remain below normal for August. The big weather question of day concerning clear skies on Monday can’t be answered until then. The oscillating effects of the onshore and offshore winds hold the answer. Rest assured, the show will go on … with or without our visual input.

Sue Kilpatrick is a
Crescenta Valley resident and
Official Skywarn Spotter for the
National Weather Service. Reach her at  suelkilpatrick@gmail.com.