Chicago

Clouds, Rain Could Spoil View of the Eclipse in Chicago Area

If you're looking to catch Monday's solar eclipse from the Chicago area, you might want to hope for a break in the clouds. 

Partly- to mostly-cloudy conditions are expected throughout the day Monday and during the three hours the solar eclipse is scheduled to hit Illinois. 

There is also a chance for a shower or thunderstorm, particularly south of Interstate 80, just before noon, as the eclipse is slated to begin. 

In Carbondale, one of the best places to watch the eclipse in Illinois, where viewers will see 100 percent totality, there is also a chance for a pop up shower or storm during the eclipse. 

The forecast remains ever-changing just hours before the major event. 

Some areas could stay dry and clouds could break in time to see the eclipse. 

Chicago is expected to get 89 percent totality in the upcoming event. The maximum amount of totality is forecast to take place at 1:19 p.m., with the entire event ending at 2:42 p.m. 

Across the area, peak times to witness the eclipse vary. To see times for your town, click here

The moon hasn't thrown this much shade at the U.S. since 1918. That was the country's last coast-to-coast total eclipse.

In fact, the U.S. mainland hasn't seen a total solar eclipse since 1979 — and even then, only five states in the Northwest experienced total darkness before the eclipse veered in Canada.

To watch the eclipse in the Chicago area live, click here

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