2023 Solar Eclipse in Brazil
(Photo : MICHAEL DANTAS/AFP via Getty Images)
A man watches the annular solar eclipse in Manaus, Amazonas state, Brazil, on Oct. 14, 2023.

Monday's highly anticipated solar eclipse could be obscured by clouds along much of its path due to storms moving across the central U.S.

Part of the Northeast stand the best chance of clear skies, according to weather experts interviewed Friday by the Associated Press.

A large area near southeastern Missouri and southern Illinois was also expected to provide prime viewing spots, and Canada might have light cloud cover that won't block movement of the moon across the sun during the rare, total solar eclipse.

But parts of Ohio, Pennsylvania and Texas are iffy, as is Mexico, according to AP.

The potential for severe storms from Texas to Arkansas could also affect travel home for sky-watchers from Texas to Arkansas.

Millions of people are expected to watch the eclipse, prompting concerns about traffic jams, overloaded cellphone networks and other potential problems.

Some local governments even declared states of emergency ahead of the celestial spectacle.

Experts have also stressed the need to wear proper eye protection and warned about a proliferation of fake and counterfeit eclipse sunglasses.

Although lower, thicker clouds would likely prevent people from seeing the eclipse, higher and thinner clouds shouldn't pose much of problem.

But the wet weather moving across the U.S. makes it hard for meteorologists to pinpoint where clouds will spoil the view.

"The uncertainty is still pretty high," National Weather Service meteorologist Marc Chenard said.

Daniel Dawson, an atmospheric scientist at Purdue University, advised anyone hoping to keep their plans flexible and monitor the weather forecasts.

"Look for where the confidence seems to be the greatest as you head towards the event," he said.

For those not willing to risk it, NASA will stream telescope views of the sun starting at 1 p.m. EDT Monday.