Where storms could spoil Blood Moon total lunar eclipse Thursday night
The Moon will appear to glow "blood red" on Thursday night into Friday morning during the total lunar eclipse. The sky will be mainly clear for most of the country. However, more than 30 states are forecast to see storms this week, which could disrupt views for millions.
Total lunar eclipse happens tonight, Friday morning
FOX Weather Meteorologist Stephen Morgan explains the timing of the Blood Moon total lunar eclipse tonight and Friday morning. All you need to see the eclipse is to step outside and look up, but millions may have cloudy sky blocking their view.
Most of the U.S. will have a mainly clear sky for the total lunar eclipse on Thursday and Friday, but stubborn cloud cover will complicate viewing for some in the Northeast, mid-Atlantic and northern Plains.
With March's full Moon comes an extra celestial treat for the eyes: a total lunar eclipse.
According to NASA, the Moon will be eclipsed by Earth's shadow on March 14. The eclipse begins at 11:57 p.m. ET Thursday and reaches totality at 2:59 a.m. ET Friday.
BLOOD MOON TOTAL LUNAR ECLIPSE HAPPENS THIS WEEK. HERE'S HOW YOU CAN SEE IT
Lunar eclipses like this one can appear to make the Moon glow "blood red," which is why March's full Moon is known as the Blood Moon. March's full Moon is also known as the Worm Moon – a name that probably comes from the emergence of earthworms this time of year. Put it all together, and you have the Blood Worm Moon.
Total lunar eclipse timing for the U.S. on Thursday and Friday.
(FOX Weather)
The sky will be mainly clear for most of the country, including the West, lower and mid-Mississippi Valley, Midwest, Ohio Valley, mid-South and Southeast. This means those regions will most likely have a good view of the celestial event.
However, beginning Wednesday and Thursday, severe thunderstorms will threaten more than 25 states from Texas to the Carolinas, disrupting views for millions. On Friday, the risk of severe storms extends from Louisiana to Wisconsin.
(FOX Weather)
In the cloud-cover map above, cities including San Francisco, Denver, Fargo in North Dakota, New York and Washington are forecast to be shrouded in clouds for the maximum eclipse time around 3 a.m. ET.
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT BLOOD MOON TOTAL LUNAR ECLIPSE
Meanwhile, Tennessee, Florida, the Carolinas and Illinois appear to be the winners for this lunar eclipse forecast.
Still, it's important to remember that even if your sky is cloudy during the peak eclipse, a partial eclipse will be visible for about two hours, and you can still catch some of the show.
If the weather mentioned above blocks your view, you can still see the eclipse online. FOX Weather will stream different views of the lunar eclipse on YouTube beginning at 11 p.m. ET Thursday.