Beauty or a bust? Where clouds may hinder Canada’s solar eclipse

All eyes are on the forecast to see which towns will nab the best conditions to watch Monday's total solar eclipse.

Several minutes of nighttime darkness will slide across millions of people lucky enough to fall under the path of totality in the mid-afternoon hours on Monday, April 8.

Even though the total eclipse only covers a tiny strip of land, just about everyone across Canada and the U.S. will see a partial eclipse. Witnessing a chunk of the sun seemingly slip away behind our natural satellite is still a thrilling experience for nature lovers of all ages.

Here’s where forecasters see the best odds of spotting the eclipse –– and areas that might miss out.

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Ontario may fight through clouds

Monday will start with a sprawling low-pressure system over the northern half of the United States. This storm will spill mid- to high-level clouds over southern Ontario during the eclipse.

Viewing conditions will depend on how quickly those clouds move into the region. An hour or two will make all the difference –– and it’s still a bit unclear whether those clouds will only affect southern Ontario, or if they’ll also push into eastern Ontario as the eclipse peaks.

Hamilton, Niagara, Kingston, and Cornwall are all at risk of clouds moving in on Monday afternoon.

Don’t fret, though! Another question up in the air right now is how much of the sun we’ll be able to see through the cloudy veil. Mid- to high-level clouds can allow plenty of light through, making the sky appear almost milky. If these clouds are thin enough, we may still get a full and unique view of the eclipse and its shadows.

Quebec and New Brunswick get a front-row seat

Some of the best odds of seeing a crisp eclipse with all the celestial trimmings will fall across eastern Quebec and most of New Brunswick.

A ridge of high pressure over the region will keep clouds to a minimum on the day of the eclipse, keeping that region as our go-to spot anywhere in North America.

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Sherbrooke, Saint-Georges, Hartland, and Fredericton look to be in fine shape for Monday.

Some communities in the region may deal with localized cloudiness, a risk that forecasters will continue to pin down over the weekend.

WATCH: Could cell service be impacted by the total solar eclipse?

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Newfoundland’s odds seem to be improving a bit

Trends in recent computer guidance have shown more favourable odds for good viewing conditions across portions of Newfoundland. A trickier setup is in the cards here as the island falls between a slow-moving low-pressure system to the northeast of the island and a ridge of high pressure to the west.

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This slow-moving system could bring thick low-level clouds, onshore winds, and possibly even some precipitation on the afternoon of the eclipse. There’s a chance that the event is fully obstructed by the clouds –– those communities would still see night –– like darkness without being able to see the actual eclipse itself.

If you’re eager to see this once-in-a-lifetime spectacle, consider heading down toward Port aux Basques on the southwest coast or even a last-minute hop across the Gulf to New Brunswick.

Western Canada stands the best chance of seeing the partial eclipse

Even though the path of totality will slide across the eastern half of the country, just about everyone in Canada has an opportunity to safely watch on Monday afternoon.

The low over the northern U.S. will make for poor viewing across a wide swath of northern Ontario and southern Manitoba. Winnipeg might be on the line between troublesome clouds and a good view, where more than half of the sun will be obscured around 2 p.m. local time.

A band of clouds over western Saskatchewan and much of British Columbia will probably spoil the show. However, eastern Saskatchewan and much of Alberta should catch a glimpse of the partial eclipse.

U.S. viewing also trends better for some

This is the second eclipse in the past decade to traverse the United States from one border to the other, drawing millions of visitors to the path of totality from southern Texas to northern Maine.

The best eclipse-watching conditions in the U.S. will follow the same pattern as we’ll see here in Canada, with folks in northern sections of Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine expecting a crisp view of the event.

Clouds may obscure the view for those around the Great Lakes, while opportunities for clearing offer decent odds of catching most or all of the eclipse along its path through the Midwestern states.

Folks on the southern Plains might have a tough time seeing any of the eclipse as stormy weather is expected along the path of totality across Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. Breaks may offer occasional views, but folks in cities like Austin, Dallas, and Little Rock risk missing the big moment.

Stay with The Weather Network for all the latest on this once-in-a-lifetime total solar eclipse.

Header image courtesy of Marek Okon via Unsplash.

WATCH: A step-by-step timeline of what to expect during Monday's total solar eclipse

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