How will the weather change during a total solar eclipse?

Short-term effects are almost guaranteed, but Adirondack conditions for April 8 event could vary

By Chloe Bennett

Much like the shade of a tree, the total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024, will temporarily drop temperatures where it covers Earth’s surface. The early spring cosmic event has the potential to shift local weather during the time before, during and after the complete light blockage. 

Depending on the position of the sun, the eclipse could trigger a drop as substantial as 10 degrees, Gib Brown, longtime North Country meteorologist and science educator, said. 

“I’m thinking that we’ll see something that we can measure, something that may be relatively dramatic,” said Brown, the retired WPTZ weatherman and current Adirondack Sky Center & Observatory board member. “But beyond just the few minutes or so of the eclipse, the temperatures should rebound fairly quickly as the eclipse goes by.”

One weather phenomenon from the eclipse might take shape in the clouds. Cumulus clouds, produced by heat from the Earth’s surface, are well-documented to be affected by the celestial event. If the eclipse removes heat temporarily, Brown said, the clouds can completely dissipate and clear the skies. 

Eclipse enthusiasts in the Adirondacks are hoping for a clear day, as heavy cloud cover would obstruct visibility. Observers could still experience the darkening effect, though the eclipse might be difficult to see. Sparse or thin clouds, Brown said, wouldn’t block the view by much. 

Thunderstorms are likely unaffected by a total solar eclipse. If anything, Brown said, the eclipse could slightly dissipate a thunderstorm. 

“As far as snow or rain, or any other weather phenomenon, any impact produced by an eclipse would be minimal at best,” he said. 

Winds, though, might change with the eclipse. Citizen scientists across the United Kingdom collected data showing that even partial eclipses can change the direction of wind. Using that information, researchers concluded that the temperature change caused the winds to weaken and change direction, a Psych.org report states. 

The quick dark and cool conditions caused by a total eclipse trigger unusual behaviors in some animals, research suggests. Scientists from the North Carolina State University and other universities studied 17 species of animals at the Riverbanks Zoo in Columbia, S.C. during a total solar eclipse in 2017. About 75% of the observed animals responded to the eclipse. A majority exhibited nighttime behavior, the report states. 

Some people reported that cicadas, crickets and frogs began singing or stopped doing so during totality. The phone app and nonprofit iNaturalist reported that swallows and swifts took flight during the daytime darkness. 

One citizen scientist on the app watched a black bear in Mount Rainier National Park during the eclipse. Before totality, the bear was wandering through a meadow and dipped in a pond. When it became dark, the observer said, it walked quickly out of view into a forest. 

In the case of humans, it’s probably best to come prepared for any kind of weather or behavior in the Adirondacks. 

“April can be a very, very fickle month,” Brown said. “The ski areas are still open, so people will be skiing, so you can have snow and cold enough weather to keep that snow. But at the same time, we’ve had Aprils before where we’ve had sunny skies and temperatures in the 80s.”

The data and images in the weather graphic have been updated.