Cloud cover may hinder peak Perseids viewing in Seattle, experts suggest alternatives
The Perseids meteor shower peaks Wednesday night, but scattered clouds are expected over Seattle; observers are advised to travel to nearby clear-sky locations or wait until Thursday.
The Perseids meteor shower reaches its maximum on Wednesday night, offering an estimated 50 to 100 meteors per hour radiating from the Perseus constellation. However, an upper-level trough is set to bring scattered clouds to the Seattle area and coastal regions starting Tuesday night, according to National Weather Service meteorologist Dustin Guy. While the lowlands will remain dry, mountain areas could see showers.
Guy noted that the cloud cover may break in places on Wednesday, providing intermittent viewing opportunities, but described the overall conditions as “a tough call.” He recommended that observers seeking clearer skies travel north to the Olympic Peninsula—such as Port Angeles, Sequim, or the Olympic Mountains—or head south toward Mount Rainier, where the comet debris will be visible at roughly 37 miles per second. He also suggested waiting until Thursday, when the trough is expected to shift east of Seattle, resulting in fewer clouds though without the added darkness of a total solar eclipse.
The meteor shower coincides with a total solar eclipse occurring over Spain, Iceland and Greenland, which creates a new-moon phase and darker skies that can improve visibility where cloud cover is absent.