Across about two-thirds of the United States will enjoyfair weather for today's rare transit of Mercury, but other regions willunfortunately be under clouds and rain as Mercury starts its march across theSun's disk.
In the Eastern US, a storm willbring considerable cloud cover and wet weather, especially over the NortheastStates. A frontal system with some clouds and scattered precipitation will bedraped from the western Great Lakes and the Northern Plains; a small storm may evolve over Wyoming. A Pacificdisturbance will push clouds and wet weather into the Pacific Northwest. Therest of the country should enjoy basically fair and dry weather.
Here is a specific weatherbreakdown for seven regions of the contiguous US:
NORTHEASTERN STATES
Little hope of getting a view ofthe transit from here. Mainly overcast skies with heavy rains extending fromthe New Jersey Coast and the Greater New York Area eastward through the New England Coast. Possibly a few sunny breaks "may" develop near the Middle Atlantic Coast.
GREAT LAKES AND THE MIDWEST
Any views of Mercury's tinysilhouette will be over southern sections. Mostly cloudy skies across Michigan with some rainover the Upper Peninsula. Clouds also prevail Wisconsin, northernportions of Illinois and Indiana and eastern sections of Ohio and Kentucky. A broken to scattered layer of clouds, with someintervals of sunshine for western and central portions of Ohio and Kentucky and southern portionsof Illinois and Indiana.
SOUTHEASTERN STATES
Dicey visibility from the Tar Heeland Palmetto States. Mostly cloudy skies across western and central sections of North Carolina and much of South Carolina. A brokento scattered layer of clouds, with some intervals of sunshine possible alongthe coastline of the Carolinas. The rest of Southeast, down through the Deep South and Gulf Coast, including Florida will enjoymostly sunny skies.
NORTH CENTRAL STATES
Mainly cloudy skies with some rainand showers for parts of Montana, Wyoming and Minnesota. Clouds will also prevail over Wyoming and the easternhalf of Iowa.Farther south, sunshine should be plentiful over Colorado, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri and western andcentral Iowa.
SOUTH CENTRAL STATES
This is the place to be to watchthe transit: Wall to wall sunshine from New Mexico to Arkansas and Louisiana, including Oklahoma and Texas.
PACIFIC NORTHWEST STATES
Mostly cloudy with some rain andshowers for Washington, and Idaho.
SOUTHWESTERN STATES
Clouds and showery weather fornorthern portions of California and Nevada. Sunny skies are expected elsewhere.
We should stress that these areonly general outlooks.
Here is a link to thevarious National Weather Service Forecast Offices across the nation. Just clickon the location nearest to you for the very latest weather update.
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