Perseid meteor shower peaks Aug. 12-13 with viewing conditions affected by fog and clouds in Bay Area

The Perseid meteor shower, active from July 17 through August 24, is expected to reach its peak overnight between Aug. 12 and Aug. 13. Astronomers say the shower can produce up to 75 meteors per hour as Earth moves through debris from comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle.

In the San Francisco Bay Area, fog is likely to limit early-evening viewing on Friday, while clouds may obscure the summit of Mount Tamalpais on Saturday night. Inland locations east of the Caldecott Tunnel are forecast to have clearer skies just after sunset, though cloud cover is projected to move across much of the bay after midnight on Sunday and Monday. High clouds linked to Tropical Storm Elida could further reduce visibility early next week.

Observers are advised to locate the constellation Perseus, the point from which the meteors appear to radiate. The peak coincides with a new moon, providing darker skies that are favorable for spotting the meteors.