Florida Panhandle will have to contend with clouds, not storm, to see total lunar eclipse

A severe weather system that AccuWeather says could be the biggest severe weather and tornado event of the year so far is ominously coinciding with the first total lunar eclipse since 2022.

Florida’s view of the lunar eclipse, which is also referred to as a blood moon, should be largely unobstructed by the storm, which is set to hit on Saturday. The lunar eclipse will be visible in Florida late Thursday night and early Friday morning.

The Florida Panhandle will still have to dodge a bit of clouds following a chance of showers and thunderstorms earlier on Thursday.

Here’s what to know about the total lunar eclipse this week.

Northwest Florida weather forecast for the lunar eclipse

Much of Florida is expected to have a fairly clear view of this week’s lunar eclipse, according to the National Weather Service.

The Pensacola area stretching toward Destin will see a chance of showers in the morning, thunderstorms until mid-afternoon and more showers after 4 p.m. Skies will clear up a bit by Thursday night, which will be partly cloudy. Cloud coverage is expected to be around 77%, according to AccuWeather, which could impede the view of the lunar eclipse.

What time is the March lunar eclipse in Florida?

Florida has two time zones, so the Panhandle can expect to see the lunar eclipse around midnight CDT on March 14. The Florida Peninsula will see the lunar eclipse start closer to 1 a.m. EDT.

Here's a look at what you're likely to see depending on whether you're in Central Daylight Time or Eastern Daylight Time:

March lunar eclipse timeline CDT

• 11:55 p.m. Deep penumbral: At this time, you'll start to see the moon enter the outer (lightest) part of the shadow and start to dim.
• 12:47 a.m. 50% partial: A partial eclipse will start as 50% of the moon passes into the umbra, the darkest part of Earth's shadow.
• 1:26 a.m. Totality begins: Onlookers will start to see the moon transition from its usual grey-white color into the red and orange hues more typical of a blood moon.
• 1:59 a.m. Greatest eclipse: This is when we will see the lunar eclipse at its peak.
• 2:31 a.m. Totality ends: The moon will start its transition from the umbra into the penumbra.
• 3:10 a.m. 50% partial: We'll get another look at a 50% partial lunar eclipse.
• 4:05 a.m. Deep penumbral: The moon will move fully back into the lightest part of Earth's shadow before completely escaping it.

March lunar eclipse timeline EDT

• 12:55 p.m. Deep penumbral: At this time, you'll start to see the moon enter the outer (lightest) part of the shadow and start to dim.
• 1:47 a.m. 50% partial: A partial eclipse will start as 50% of the moon passes into the umbra, the darkest part of Earth's shadow.
• 2:26 a.m. Totality begins: Onlookers will start to see the moon transition from its usual grey-white color into the red and orange hues more typical of a blood moon.
• 2:59 a.m. Greatest eclipse: This is when we will see the lunar eclipse at its peak.
• 3:31 a.m. Totality ends: The moon will start its transition from the umbra into the penumbra.
• 4:10 a.m. 50% partial: We'll get another look at a 50% partial lunar eclipse.
• 5:05 a.m. Deep penumbral: The moon will move fully back into the lightest part of Earth's shadow before completely escaping it.

Is it safe to look at a lunar eclipse?

Yep. Unlike looking into a solar eclipse, which can instantly cause severe eye injury, it's completely safe to look at a lunar eclipse without any eye protection.

How can I watch the lunar eclipse in Florida

Unlike last year's solar eclipse, all you'll need to see March's total lunar eclipse are your eyes.

If you want to get a good look at it, you'll want to grab a telescope or binoculars. Finding local stargazing groups hosting events for the lunar eclipse can be a great opportunity to get a unique look if you don't have access to any special gear.

Regardless, a dark environment away from bright city lights makes for the best spectating.

How often do total lunar eclipses happen?

Lunar eclipses happen more often than solar eclipses, but they're still uncommon.

For an eclipse to occur, the moon and Earth have to be on the same orbital plane with the sun, which generally happens about one to two times per year, according to the National Weather Service.

When was the last total lunar eclipse?

The last total lunar eclipse was in November 2022, according to NASA.

It was visible in North America, along with North and East Europe, Asia, Australia, South America, Pacific, Atlantic, Indian Ocean, Arctic, and Antarctica, according to timeanddate.com.

When is the next total lunar eclipse?

Another total lunar eclipse will happen Sept. 7-8, but will only be visible across Europe, Asia and parts of the Americas, according to space.com. 

The next total lunar eclipse that will be visible in the U.S. won't happen until March 2, 2026, according to NASA.

What is a total lunar eclipse?

A total lunar eclipse is very similar in concept to a solar eclipse. Instead of the moon perfectly aligned with the sun to block it from view, it’s Earth that’s perfectly aligned between the sun and moon.

When this happens, the moon passes into the darkest part of Earth’s shadow, which is called the umbra, according to NASA. The result is a dim moon painted with a red-orange hue, thus the blood moon moniker.