Partial lunar eclipse set for Thursday night amid mixed cloud forecasts across the U.S.

A partial lunar eclipse will be observable across North and South America on Thursday night, Aug. 27, into the early hours of Friday, Aug. 28. The event will peak around 12:13 a.m. EDT and last about 3.5 hours.

Meteorologists note that summer typically lacks the large, widespread storm systems that produce extensive cloud cover, but localized showers, thunderstorms or general cloudiness could still interfere with viewing. A high-pressure heat dome expected to remain anchored in the Southwest may promote clearer skies there, although areas on the periphery of the dome could still experience clouds and rain.

Regional forecasts indicate scattered showers and thunderstorms across the Northeast, from the mid-Atlantic to New England, and possible scattered storms from Virginia through the Carolinas to Florida and the lower Mississippi Valley. The Southern Plains, including Oklahoma, Texas and Arkansas, may see enough breaks for observation. The Midwest is generally expected to have favorable conditions, with the exception of parts of the Central and Southern Plains where thunderstorms could affect nearby areas. In the West, the Northwest and Four Corners region are projected to have good visibility, while cloudier conditions may move into California, Nevada, Utah and Montana.

The eclipse will be fully visible over much of eastern North America and South America. In Europe and Africa, the moon will set during the event on the morning of Aug. 28, while in the western United States, western Canada, Alaska and Hawaii the moon will rise during the eclipse on the evening of Aug. 27.