Eclipse Tourists Devastated as Forecast Shows Cloudy Skies

"Sometimes the weather gods like to laugh at you."

Cloud Nein

Are you gearing up to travel for hours to be in the perfect location for the April 8 total solar eclipse in less than a week?

Well, cloudy skies may hamper your view in some parts of America, The Washington Post reports, which is sending eclipse enthusiasts into fits of anxiety because the next total solar eclipse for the United States isn't slated until 2044.

"Sometimes the weather gods like to laugh at you," New York City real estate developer Adam Epstein told WaPo.

Epstein is planning to travel to Dallas with friends to be in the path of totality, where you can see the Moon completely block the Sun, casting a shadow that will be about 108 to 122 miles in width, arcing from Texas and all the way to Maine.

"I know I’m not responsible for the weather, but nevertheless, a lot of people had put their trust into the concept that this was going to be a great event," Epstein told WaPo. "To think that it was all going for naught was pretty upsetting."

Sun Power

As of Wednesday morning, today, computer simulations show cloud cover over Dallas, large swaths of Texas, Southern states like Louisiana, and some clouds over Cleveland and other parts of Ohio.

People outside the path of totality will see the Moon partially cover up our Sun, which still makes for spectacular viewing.

For people who are in the path of totality and fear clouds will ruin this special celestial event, computer simulations only measure probability and can be off as much as a day, according to WaPo. It's only when we're a few days away from the event that we should start looking at the weather forecast more closely and make any plan changes if you're totally gung-ho to see the total solar eclipse.

For people who do get the amazing chance to see the total solar eclipse happen with no cloud cover, experts advise wearing sunscreen, hat, and for goodness' sake using solar eclipse glasses.  Staring at the eclipse directly can cause permanent damage to your vision.

As for the solar eclipse glasses themselves, the American Astronomical Society is warning that there are fake solar eclipse glasses flooding the market. Wearing them may damage your eyes.

The group is telling people to buy them directly from a trusted vendor. So save your peepers and get the real stuff.

More on solar eclipses: Total Solar Eclipses Are on the Path to Extinction