You are cordially invited to the most star-studded event of the season—and we don’t mean some Hollywood awards show! We’re talking about the Super Blood Wolf Moon eclipse on Sunday, January 20. Read on to see whether the weather will cooperate in your area!
If you look up into the clear night sky on Sunday, January 20, you will experience the Super Blood Wolf Moon eclipse—a combination of a total lunar eclipse (Blood Moon), a Supermoon, and January’s Full Wolf Moon. A total lunar eclipse occurs when the Sun, Earth, and Moon come together in a straight line so that the entire Moon—looking stunning in an orange-red hue—is shielded from the Sun’s rays. Not to be missed, this is the last total lunar eclipse visible from North America until 2021! Read more about the upcoming total lunar eclipse.
While January’s Super Blood Wolf Moon eclipse should be visible everywhere throughout North America (reaching totality at approximately 11:41 pm EST / 8:41 pm PST), whether you’ll be able to experience the show will really depend on the weather.
And the Award for Perfect Viewing Conditions Goes to…
…a large portion of the Southern U.S.! This mainly includes the Texas-Oklahoma and Deep South weather regions, but areas directly to the north and east of these regions should also expect to see mostly clear skies.
It being the heart of winter, perfect viewing conditions are hard to come by in the rest of the U.S. and Canada, but there are a few other places that will come close, including the Southeast, Lower Lakes, Ohio Valley, Upper Midwest, and parts of the High Plains and Heartland regions. All of these places will offer mostly clear skies on the night of the eclipse, even if it is predicted to be a bit nippy in some locations!
Find a map of our weather regions on our Long Range Forecasts page!
Galoshes Don’t Go with a Gown
In The 2019 Old Farmer’s Almanac, we predicted a milder than usual winter and the forecast for January 20 is no exception. Many parts of the U.S. will see soggy conditions or cloudy skies for the lunar eclipse, but will experience milder-than-normal temperatures.
For example, the Pacific Southwest, Desert Southwest, Florida, Hawaii are expected to see milder temperatures, but partly cloudy skies at night could make viewing the eclipse a little hit or miss.
Rain, along with milder temperatures, are expected for the Pacific Northwest and Intermountain regions. In Canada, showers are likely for Southern British Columbia, including in places like Vancouver.
Alaska will be a mixed bag with rain with snow predicted throughout much of the day, coupled with relatively mild temperatures
Shivering in the Snow for the Big Show
While the Almanac has predicted a milder winter for most parts of the U.S., that certainly doesn’t mean there won’t be any snow! For the lunar eclipse, we’re watching a potential winter storm that could hit the Northeast, Atlantic Corridor, and Appalachians with snow.
That same storm could blanket Southern Quebec, while Atlantic Canada is also likely to see a mix of rain and snow fall on January 20. In Southern Ontario, there will be a chance of snow showers, too.
Wherever you are and whatever the weather, be sure to try and catch the Super Blood Wolf Moon lunar eclipse. It’s definitely one worth looking skyward for!
Read more about the upcoming Super Blood Wolf Moon—and the many myths and superstitions that surround it!
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