There's a lot of pressure riding on the forecast for the total solar eclipse. You could say the stakes are even higher than the forecast for the Indy 500. We can't exactly push back the eclipse for a better weather day. Actually, another total solar eclipse won't be visible from Indy until the year 2153! It all comes down to the clouds, which could make or break a truly unique experience.
Meteorologists with the National Weather Service poured through more than 40 years of cloud data for April 8th. They found much of central Indiana averages 60-70% of the sky covered in clouds on that date. In other words, chances are high that we'll at least have some sort of cloud cover to contend with.
When looking at just El Nino years, which we are currently in, historically our cloud cover increases even more.
It's all about location for the best viewing opportunity with the path of totality cutting across much of central and southern Indiana. The eclipse begins just before 2pm on April 8th with peak totality happening just after 3pm.
Even if overcast skies try to ruin the party, a brief period of added darkness will still be noticeable.