See when and where Maine will get the best solar eclipse views
CARIBOU, Maine - Maine is expected to be a top travel destination for the 2024 solar eclipse, with a large portion of the state in the "path of totality." Here's everything you need to know about what time and where you'll be able to see the show.
Maine solar eclipse path of totality map
The Maine cities and towns that will see a total eclipse include:
- Caribou
- Presque Isle
- Rangeley
- Houlton
- Millinocket
- Greenville
- Jackman
- Carrabasset Valley
- Island Falls
- Moscow
- Lincoln
- Medway
- Linneus
If you have the ability to travel, trust me, it is worth the effort to get to the path of totality. You will need to get well north of the major cities of Augusta, Bangor and Portland, which will be at 96.4% totality. The entirety of Baxter State Park will be in the totality path, including Mount Katahdin.
Maine Gov. Janet Mills says her state is the best place in New England to witness the event, but visitors are told to make sure they have their eclipse glasses and drive carefully.
"It's mud season in Maine - many dirt roads may not be passable. Stay on paved roads at all times," she said in a statement.
Maine total solar eclipse timeline
What time is the eclipse in Maine, exactly? It depends a bit on where you are.
The partial eclipse begins at 2:22 p.m. in Caribou, the most northeastern city in America, and ends at 4:40 p.m. Totality starts at 3:32 p.m.
In the western part of the state in Rangeley, it will start at 2:18 p.m. and peak at 3:29 p.m. before ending at 4:39 p.m.
"For nearly half of Maine, the total eclipse will be visible for up to three-and-a-half minutes - one of the longest totality observation times in North America," Mills said.
Houlton, which is on the border with Canada, will be the last town in the continental U.S. to see the eclipse and will experience one of the longest periods of total darkness at 3 minutes and 20 seconds. The eclipse will peak there at 3:32 p.m.
Scientists will be standing by in parts of the U.S. to see what animals do when the total eclipse transforms day into night.
Maine cloud cover forecast for April 8
Maine could be one of the few places in the country where the weather fully cooperates for the eclipse, even though the northeast is typically cloudy in April.
I do not think Monday in New England will be totally cloud-free, but the region will not be seeing any major storms. There will likely be some high clouds produced by a warm front stretching across the Upper Midwest through the Great Lakes.
If you have the ability to go anywhere in New England, northern Maine is the safest bet, according to the latest forecast.