Florida may not be in the line of sight for Wednesday’s partial solar eclipse, but parts of Florida could get a glimpse of the Perseid Meteor Shower. Peak activity will occur after dusk on Wednesday and before dawn on Thursday. Across much of Central Florida, weather conditions should support a great view of the shower.
Major cities including Tampa, Lakeland, and Saint Petersburg have the best opportunity out of the entire state to view tonight's meteor showers. Skies are expected to remain mostly clear. Skies across Southwest Florida, including Sarasota and Arcadia, should be mostly clear before midnight, but cloud cover will increase overnight.
Scattered showers and thunderstorms will increase cloud cover over the Panhandle, North Florida, and South Florida by dusk limiting visibility.
Although storms should taper off a few hours after midnight, cloud cover may linger across North Florida, South Florida, and parts of the Panhandle.
Across the far western counties of the Panhandle, cloud cover should decrease overnight. Interests in Pensacola, Milton, and Destin may be able to view a few meteors before sunrise Thursday.
Even in areas with less cloud cover, skygazers will still have to bear the heat. Temperatures will be in the lower to mid-80's after sunset, but it may still feel like the upper-80's and lower-90's with the exception of North Central and Northeast Florida. The humidity will make the air feel very muggy. For the best viewing experience, have access to a cooler space or a fan if needed.
When the Perseid Meteor Shower is most active, you can see about 50 to 100 meteors per hour. For the clearest view, adjust your eyes to the sky for 20 to 30 minutes and avoid being around city lights. A new moon is also in store this evening which will improve viewing conditions. No additional equipment is needed to get the full view.
For a better idea of what the Perseid Meteor Shower might look like, you can access a diagram here.
