The State Meteorological Agency (AEMET) has updated its forecast for the upcoming Wednesday's solar eclipse, identifying areas where clouds could impede observation. While the general outlook is for mostly clear or partly cloudy skies across much of the southeast, specific zones with a higher probability of cloudiness have been pinpointed.
In Almería, cloud cover is concentrated mainly in the northern part of the province, encompassing Los Vélez, parts of Almanzora, and areas in the Poniente region such as Adra and Balanegra. A similar situation will affect sectors in northern Granada, specifically the Baza and Huéscar regions, and a broad strip in eastern Murcia, including the Northwest and Lorca regions.
AEMET clarifies that the blue color on its maps indicates that clouds might obstruct the view at certain moments, not that the eclipse will be completely hidden. This means there could be periods of good visibility interspersed with times when a cloud partially covers the Sun.
The Murcia region presents a more extensive blue zone, covering a significant portion of its eastern half and extending towards western sectors of the Guadalentín and Mula regions. Almería province, meanwhile, has its main area of uncertainty in the north, while the rest of the province, including Almería capital, generally falls outside this zone.
An added challenge for the southeast is that the eclipse's peak will occur around dusk. In Almería capital, the phenomenon will reach its climax at 8:37 PM, with the Sun only five degrees above the western horizon. This makes any low cloud in that direction particularly problematic.
The AEMET forecast, updated about 48 hours before the event, is subject to change. The agency is issuing special predictions, and a significant update is expected on Tuesday to assess the cloud cover evolution.
