(WENY) -- On Monday, April 8th, 2024, the Great American Eclipse will be taking place. It will be the last solar eclipse visible from the continental United States until 2044! The path will be crossing North America over Mexico, the United States and Canada.

A total solar eclipse happens when the moon passes between the sun and earth, completely blocking the face of the Sun. The sky will darken as if it were dawn or dusk. If you are lucky enough to be in the path of totality, you will experience a total solar eclipse. However, the Twin Tiers is not in the path of totality, instead we are right on the edge. Elmira, New York and other cities in the Twin Tiers will experience what is known as a "partial eclipse." A partial eclipse is when the moon passes between the sun and Earth, but the sun, moon and earth are not perfectly lined up, giving a crescent shape. 

Safety is the number one priority when it comes to the solar eclipse. You must never look directly at the sun without proper eye protection. Eclipse glasses can be used during the solar eclipse, but are not the same as regular sunglasses. Regular sunglasses are not safe for viewing the sun during a solar eclipse. You must wear eclipse glasses or use other solar filters to view the sun directly during the partial eclipse phase. According to NASA.gov, you can take your glasses off during the short time when the moon completely obscures the sun. This is known as the period of totality and should only be done if you are in the direct path of totality. You’ll know it’s safe when you can no longer see any part of the Sun through eclipse glasses or a solar viewer. There is other indirect viewing methods like a pinhole projector, which projects an image of the sun onto a nearby service. 

Spanning over the past 10 years at the 3 PM hour for Elmira, New York, six out of the ten years had overcast conditions, while the other four years had partial sunshine. As for the weather for this Monday, your First Warning Weather Team is forecasting partly sunny skies and temperatures in the 60s. Have a fun and safe time viewing the solar eclipse. 

TIMING OUT THE ECLIPSE:

Elmira, NY - Maximum Eclipse 3:22 PM with 98.5% coverage

Ithaca, NY - Maximum Eclipse 3:23 PM with 99.2% coverage

Hornell, NY -  Maximum Eclipse 3:21 PM with 99.9% coverage

Westfield, PA -  Maximum Eclipse 3:21 PM with 98.8% coverage

Wellsboro, PA -  Maximum Eclipse 3:21 PM with 98.0% coverage

Mansfield, PA -  Maximum Eclipse 3:22 PM with 97.9% coverage

Towanda, PA -  Maximum Eclipse 3:22 PM with 97.0% coverage