One challenge for eclipse weather forecasts is that the need for viewing eclipse is different from everyday weather forecast, and normal forecasts or historical statistic like “cloud cover percentage” for example do not directly link to eclipse visibility.

Thin clouds even or a thin layer of e.g. smoke does not matter as much with eclipses as the sun is quite visible through that kind of stuff.

But even a smaller amount of coverage by big thick clouds can be very bad and overcast is of course a showstopper.

Some of the web sites on eclipses have separate “chance of overcast” statistics and forecasts which are much more indicative of the chances...

When choosing the location, it is also good to try to select places where you have roads to various directions within the totality track, so you can move a bit if you see clearer skies “nearby” and your location is covered by cloud.

Here’s hoping for clear skies (or just thin clouds) for all of us...