Total Solar Eclipse Information - April 8, 2024

Time of Totality

Southeastern Monroe County, MI will experience totality between 3:12 and 3:13 PM EDT.

(For additional path of totality locations and timing of the totality, please see the table below.)

(Chart Credit: NASA)

Historical Climate

Below is an look at the historical weather conditions on April 8th in Detroit, which are representative of the conditions across Southeast Michigan as a whole. Precipitation has been observed in 80 out of 150 years, for an average precipitation chance of 53%.

Detroit April 8th Climate Averages (1874-2023):

Average High Temperature: 52 °F
Average Low Temperature: 34 °F
Average Precipitation: 0.08 inches
Average Snowfall: 0.0 inches
Average Snow Depth: 0 inches

Detroit April 8th Climate Extremes (1874-2023):

Highest Max Temperature: 79 °F (2001)
Lowest Max Temperature: 32 °F (1920)
Lowest Min Temperature: 11 °F (1982)
Highest Min Temperature: 59 °F (1991)
Highest Precipitation: 0.94 inches (2002)
Highest Snowfall: 0.8 inches (1902)
Highest Snow Depth: 5 inches (2003)

Cloud Cover

Below is the cloud cover climatology for the afternoon of April 8th for all years (left) and only El Nino years (right). El Nino conditions will be present during the 2024 Solar Eclipse. More often than not (regardless of whether it is El Nino or not), April 8 tends to be on the cloudy side for Southeast Lower Michigan. Below the maps is list of recent years and the daily average cloud cover at Detroit Metro Airport.

(Maps courtesy of Brian Brettschneider, NOAA)

Current Weather

Safety Information

Facts & FAQs

FAQs

What can people expect during the eclipse? 

During the eclipse, the sky will get dark as if it were dawn or dusk. Even if skies are cloudy, people will still notice a darkening of the sky. Nocturnal wildlife may awaken while non-nocturnal wildlife may think it’s time for bed.

What safety precautions should be taken to view the eclipse?

When watching the partial phases of the solar eclipse, which happens before and after totality, you must look through safe solar viewing glasses (“eclipse glasses”) or a safe handheld solar viewer. It is not safe to look at the partially eclipsed sun through a camera lens, telescope, binoculars, sunglasses, or any other optical device even while wearing eclipse glasses, as the concentrated solar rays will burn through the filter and cause serious eye injury. Only during the brief total phase of a total solar eclipse, when the Moon completely blocks the Sun’s bright face, is it safe to view without specialized eye protection. See the "Safety Information" tab above for more details.

What effects might the eclipse have on the weather?

Research has shown that temperatures can drop between 4-10 degrees Fahrenheit or more during the eclipse. In addition, some reduction in wind speed and low-level clouds are possible.

How might Lake Erie impact the weather conditions on the day of the event?

Lake Erie could impact weather conditions on the day of the eclipse, but it has a lot to do with the regional weather pattern on the day of the event. On a warm spring day, sometimes a phenomenon called a lake shadow is noted downwind of the lake, with cooler temperatures and less cloud cover observed along the lakeshore. On a cold spring day, there may be higher amounts of lake effect cloud cover or precipitation near Lake Erie.

What was the last total solar eclipse in Michigan?

Parts of the Upper Peninsula experienced a total eclipse on June 30, 1954.

When will the next total solar eclipse occur in the contiguous United States?

The next total solar eclipse will occur on August 23, 2044 but will only be visible in Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota. Another total eclipse will occur on August 12, 2045 and impact areas from northern California to Florida.

Eclipse Facts

Additional Resources

Regional Weather Information

Nearby NWS Weather Forecast Office Solar Eclipse Webpages: Indianapolis, IN    Cleveland, OH    Wilimington, OH   

National Weather Information

Main National Weather Service national webpage: https://www.weather.gov/

NWS Storm Prediction Center webpage: https://spc.noaa.gov/

NWS Weather Prediction Center webpage: https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/ 

NWS Climate Prediction Center webpage: https://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/

NOAA Satellites Viewability Climatology: April 2024 Total Solar Eclipse Viewability

NASA Resources

NASA's April 8th 2024 Solar Eclipse webpage: https://science.nasa.gov/eclipses/future-eclipses/eclipse-2024/

How to protect your eyes during the eclipse: https://science.nasa.gov/eclipses/future-eclipses/eclipse-2024/safety/

Traffic Information

Michigan real-time traffic conditions: https://michigan.gov/drive

Ohio real-time traffic conditions: https://ohgo.com/

Indiana real-time traffic conditions: https://511in.org/