It’s time for the big ECLIPSE BLOG. A few days ago I thought I had a ride up to a camping site near John Day, for the total eclipse. But those plans fell through. As of right now, my plan is to just enjoy the 99% eclipse from here in town.

But what will a 99% eclipse be like?

Obviously you can’t see the corona, and also can’t safely look directly at the sun without your protective ISO glasses. The sky will not turn black either. Your shadow will still be visible.

HOWEVER…it will become pretty obvious, to humans and animals alike, that something isn’t “normal” about the sun as it gets close to peak coverage. Cutting out 99% of the incoming solar energy may not darken the sky fully, but the hue will change. And you won’t feel the sun warming your face like it normally does. Pay attention to the color of the sky, especially the southern sky, as the totality shadow is about to pass us by to the south. If you have a view of Mt. Hood, the southern slopes will be within a few miles of totality and the mountain may barely be visible from The Dalles, Hood River, or Portland.

With all that sunlight being blocked by the moon, it’s going to affect the temps quite a bit, during the hour or so of heaviest coverage. In an extremely dry, high-elevation climate, a total solar eclipse might be able to drop the temps by as much as 15-20 degrees F. Basically the diurnal weather mechanics go into “evening mode” while the sun is blocked, so climates that normally see quick evening cooling are the most prone to temperature drop.

Also, bear in mind that maximum coverage comes near 10:15 am. That’s normally in the middle part of the “warming hours” of the day. Normally the temperature is steadily rising at that time of day, on the way to the afternoon high temps. But a total or near-total solar eclipse will put a “dent” in the normal daily temperature graph, corresponding to a temporary cooling trend during the eclipse. Then the temps rebound once we’re past peak.

After observing the spectacle Monday morning, I’m sure that Monday night will be spent studying the temperature graphs of various weather stations around the region, both in and out of Totality Land!

That is, of course, if the weather cooperates. Good news is that models have improved tremendously in the past 3-4 days. About the only place that might have trouble is the immediate Oregon coastline, and MAYBE a few spots in the Willamette Valley if there are patchy morning clouds. That kind of detail is very hard to forecast more than 2 or 3 days in advance, though.