I wish I’d though to post this sooner, but for much of the U.S. there’s a chance to use WXSIM’s eclipse effect forecasting feature this Saturday (tomorrow, as I type this). Go to Start/Auto Run and Other Settings, and look for the eclipse planner button on the right. I just remembered to do this this afternoon, for the 53% coverage we’ll get here in Atlanta around 1 PM tomorrow. It knocks a coiuple of degrees off the temperature relative to no eclipse. In Texas, where it’s annular and about 91% covered, that might be about 4 degrees (though it’ll feel like a bigger difference with so little solar radiation striking your skin). I’m looking forward to April 8, 2024 - planning to visit a friend near Austin, and get deep in the path of that total one!!
Tom
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Just a reminder of the Solar Eclipse next Monday, April 8. We will have 100% coverage here in my part of Texas. I’ve already got WxSim set up so it will be interesting to see what it will show.
Yes! This is perhaps a unique ability of WXSIM! Back in October, I obtained GFS and ECMWF data for several locations in Texas for the annular eclipse, and those big models showed (as far as I could tell) no trace of the effect of the moon’s shadow. WXSIM definitely did (as I set up the eclipse under Start/Auto Run and Other Settings), and modeled the actual temperatures curves pretty accurately. I just finished a job for a new customer just Northwest of Fort Worth, and even with partly to mostly cloudy skies on Monday, the elcipse knows 3 F degrees (about 1.7 C degrees) off the high, with a maximum differences of 5.5 F (3.1 C) around 2:25 PM CDT. I also suspect the big models don’t account for the loss of convection and resulting suppression of shower activity due to the moon’s shadow. WXSIM can take that into account some, but is also borrowing a lot from the big models, so it may tag along too much. And if you’re anywhere near the path of totality, GET IN IT!! Totality is a far more awesome experience than even a 99% covered partial one. I plan to be near Austin, and am afraid there will be a fair amount of cloud cover. Not sweating it too much, though, because I can’t change that, and have been blessed to see two totalities and one very deep annular eclipse in clear skies. Maybe these things affect me more than they do most people, but I regard them as absolute peak life experiences!
wish we could see it in the UK
I am in the path of totality in Ohio - but cloud cover may be an issue. Included the effect of the eclipse in my set-up tonight. Will see!
Guy
Here is what my forecast looks like - maybe a 1-2 F drop in temp.
Guy
