Your Weather Forecast for This Weekend’s Perseid Meteor Shower is Here

Posted: August 11, 2023 2:28 pm

One of the most anticipated meteor showers of the year is on tap for the weekend. But will the weather cooperate with ideal viewing conditions? Here is what you need to know about the Perseid meteor shower and what part of the U.S. will experience clear skies to catch this show in all of its natural beauty.

Details of Perseid Meteor Shower

The Perseid meteor shower is widely known as one of the best astronomy spectacles of the year. This year’s show is expected to deliver up to 100 meteors each hour, providing for a stunning sight in the night skies. The Perseids will peak on Saturday, August 12 and into the early morning hours of Sunday, August 13.

This year’s Perseid showing is predicted to be even more impressive than what was featured in 2022. Last year’s showing was dimmed by a near full moon that washed out the majority of the shooting stars. With just a thin crescent moon on tap for this weekend, the meteors will not be obscured by the brightness of the moon.

The American Meteor Society (AMS) said that most stargazers will be able to find about 40 to 60 shooting stars per hour. However, you will increase these numbers even more if you are able to get away from areas of light pollution. This means traveling out of the cities and into more rural areas.

A general rule of thumb to follow is to find an area where you can see the most stars. The more stars that you see, the greater the chance that you will also spot the shooting stars when the show begins.

You will need to stay up late to catch this presentation. The height of the activity will happen during the latter half of the night as the meteor shower’s radiant point moves higher up in the northeastern portion of the sky.

In addition to providing a large amount of meteors, the Perseids are also so popular every year because they happen during the warm summer months. For example, the Geminid meteor shower typically sees a greater number of shooting stars, however, its timing in December means it is less likely that people will want to get outside to watch the show.

The cloud cover is also generally greater in December than in August, making the Perseids a more accessible meteor shower.

Weather Forecast for This Weekend’s Meteor Shower

Where you are at on Saturday night will influence your chances of seeing a good number of shooting stars out of this shower. The forecast is calling for the western portions of the country to enjoy the best viewing conditions. It should be clear throughout much of California, Oregon, and Washington.

Most areas of Texas and Florida are also forecast to see mostly clear skies. Lastly, the northern Plains and the Midwest could see times of clearing skies to check out the meteor shower. Your best bet is check your local hourly forecast to plan your approach if you live in an area calling for a mix of sun and clouds on Saturday night.

It will be more challenging to find these meteors if you are training your eyes on the night skies in the Northeast, the Rocky Mountain region, or across the central Plains states.

The good news is that the meteors will continue to light up the skies through the middle of August. This means that you are not totally out of luck if clouds are obscuring your view on Saturday night. However, each night after the 12th will see a fewer number of shooting stars.

If you miss the Perseid meteor shower, the Orionids are scheduled to peak on the night of Friday, October 20 and into the early morning hours of Saturday, October 21. Stay tuned for more details about this show.

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