The April 8, 2024 total solar eclipse has passed and brought great sites across North America. Cloud coverage exceeded expectations across many areas with fewer clouds than forecasted, allowing clear to partially clear views. Let's check out the views across the eclipse path from space and Earth's surface!

The view above is from the GOES satellite that hovers 22,236 miles above the Earth's surface over the Equator. The black area is the shadow of the moon passing in front of the sun, creating a total solar eclipse. The areas of white are clouds. Fortunately, the cloud coverage forecast exceeded expectations in that there were fewer of them in the eclipse path.

Here is another look at the eclipse from space on a larger scale.

Mexico saw a few areas of clear skies and most of the clouds were high. Areas of Texas on the western edge of the eclipse path were clear enough to have great views of the totality.

The clouds and rain showers through the center of the US were far enough east to bring clear skies of the totality through most states! Even most of Ohio managed to stay clear of the clouds. 

Unfortunately, eastern Ohio, Pennsylvania, western to central New York, and southern Ontario saw thick clouds which brought even darker conditions across these areas. Fortunately, it looks like Buffalo, NY and a few areas saw scattered clouds, which allowed for brief glimpses of totality.

New England into eastern Canada lucked out with clear skies for the eclipse allowing amazing views! On top of that, many ski areas were open for a truly once in a lifetime opportunity to ski during the eclipse. Check out an amazing photo from Sugarloaf of a snowboarder and skier during the eclipse. Also, see a zoomed-in look of the eclipse from New Hampshire and an associated timelapse.

Images above courtesy of Surgarloaf and Jamie Walter.

Mark your calendar for the next total solar eclipse set to cross North America on August 23, 2044 and August 12, 2045. Below is a map from NASA of all the eclipses across the globe from 2041-2060. See the link for other periods and eclipse paths.

Thanks for reading!

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Zach Butler