The eclipse runs 18:08–20:01. Deepest around
19:05. If your sky is grey, there may be a thinner patch within
half an hour of you — this page checks the forecast in every direction and points you at it.
Decide by 17:00. Be parked and out of the car by 18:00. If you can't,
stay where you are — 90% of the Sun disappearing behind thin cloud still beats sitting in
traffic and missing the whole thing. Never look anywhere near the Sun while driving,
and drivers: eyes on the road, the passengers do the looking.
Clearer sky near you
Working out where you are…
Forecast sampled at 12, 25 and 40 km in twelve directions from your spot, for the hour of
deepest eclipse (when the most Sun is hidden). Cloud forecasts work in squares roughly
10 km across, so this improves your odds — it doesn't promise blue sky. Reload any time
for the newest forecast. Directions open in your own maps app; check the return journey too.
Or watch it live — totality included
Scotland gets 90%+ coverage. Spain gets totality —
the Moon covering the whole Sun, revealing the corona: the Sun's wispy outer atmosphere,
a halo you can never see any other time. These streams are free; times are UK (BST).