How is the weather impacted by a total solar eclipse?
Many scientists question what impacts a total solar eclipse has on weather. During a solar eclipse in 1900, scientists and volunteers teamed up to take detailed observations along the path for the first time in history. During the eclipse on August 21, NASA scientists are asking the public to help record information, just as what happened during 1900.
The 1900 total solar eclipse tracked from New Orleans, Louisiana to Norfolk, Virginia. Along this path, over 9,000 meteorological measurements were taken. Scientists measured barometric pressure, temperature, vapor pressure, cloud cover, and wind direction and speed.
From this event, multiple conclusions were made. First of all, there was not a significant change to barometric pressure, but temperatures did drop between 3 and 4 degrees! More recent studies have shown that temperatures can drop as much as 15 degrees during a total solar eclipse, depending on how long the moon is completely covering the sun. Wind speeds dropped by approximately 1 mph. It was also observed that cloudiness increased the hour before the total eclipse, but cleared the hour after.
With the advancements in technology we have today, we’ll be able to gather much more weather information than in 1900. The “Great American Eclipse” will provide an amazing spectacle for people across the county, as well as give plenty of information for scientific studies.
