The moon will move to cover the sun in a total solar eclipse for people in Greenland, Iceland and Northern Spain.The UK will only experience a partial eclipse, but around 90% of the sun will be covered by the moon meaning people should still be in for a spectacular sight in the skies.It is the most complete eclipse seen in the UK since 1999.So as the day approaches, the all-important question for any outdoor event in London will be asked “what is the weather forecast?”A woman and her two children watch the start of the eclipse on Westminster Bridge in central London 11 August 1999. London skies were mostly cloudy for the event AFP via Getty ImagesWhat will the weather be like in London for the solar eclipse?The eclipse takes place in summer, so there’s a better chance of clear skies than you’d expect in autumn or winter.At the moment its too far away to accurately predict the weather.The Met’s long-term forecast for the UK up to August 13 predicts “further spells of dry, warm, sunny weather and cooler, wetter and breezier weather” towards the middle of the month.It looks like the better weather will be the south, with the “potential for some very warm or hot spells”. The long-term forecast on the BBC website on Saturday, August 1 suggests the weather could be cloudy during the eclipse.It forecasts light cloud and winds for most of the day on Wednesday, August 12 with a temperature of 29C.We’ll be updating the forecast as we get closer to the day.This year’s solar eclipse will begin at 6.17pm on August 12.The whole phenomenon will last around an hour and 49 minutes until 8.06pm.The height of the eclipse is expected at 7.13pm for Londoners.
Solar eclipse weather forecast: What are chances of clear skies in London?
