TYLER, Texas — The solar eclipse is fast approaching. Texas is seeing thousands flood into the state to see what may be a once in a lifetime event. Are you excited? There has been a lot of talk about clouds ruining the event.
In the CBS19 Weather Center, we've known a storm would be moving into East Texas between April 7 and April 9. We've known since November that the weather pattern was repeating and it would potentially bring a storm to East Texas around the time of the eclipse.
In January, this same pattern produced a severe weather setup with a tornado in Coldspring in San Jacinto County, The same weather pattern that produced that storm is cycling back and it appears it will bring heavy rain and possibly severe weather next week across East Texas.
However, the storm won't spoil the Great American Eclipse and East Texans should get a decent, if not great view of totality in Tyler and East Texas. Yes, high clouds will spread over East Texas Monday morning. But with swift moving winds aloft, our in-house high resolution computer guidance shows a patch of clearing right before the big event.
For the past several days, computer guidance has been suggesting high temperatures in the low 80s for Monday. Several computer models showed extensive cloud cover but in early April in East Texas, it takes more than southerly winds and warm air advection to boost temperatures into the 80s.
It takes some sunshine to warm the surface and thus the air. So this outlook makes sense. What does this mean for viewing? It means we should have at least a partly cloudy sky, if not a mostly sunny sky in parts of East Texas about a half hour before totality begins.
Also keep in mind, and I think this is being overlooked by many, that as we approach totality incoming solar radiation will be reduced like it is in the early evening.
This happened during the 2017 total solar eclipse. I witnessed this firsthand in western Missouri, where just a half hour before totality there was extensive cloud cover, But as sunlight was lost, the clouds dissipated and there was an incredible view of the total solar eclipse. There is a very good chance this repeats.
All this points toward at a better chance for fair to good visibility for most of East Texas for the total solar eclipse. It may not be 100% perfect but good enough to make it an incredible event -- one people won't likely forget.
Additionally, because the solar eclipse can create areas of sinking air or air sinking back toward the earth's surface, it has to go somewhere. Well, the air will spread out and fill voids where the air is still rising outside of the path of totality. This will help clouds to rapidly develop in Deep East Texas and soon after that thunderstorms will develop.
At this time, the Storm Prediction Center is already concerned severe weather thunderstorms will develop late afternoon or Monday evening. Here in the weather center, we'll be watching the solar eclipse but we'll also be watching out for you and the chance for severe weather. Have a great weekend and happy viewing!
