Total solar eclipse: Will clouds dampen the rare celestial event?

What does the Monday forecast look like as millions get ready to watch the rare total solar eclipse? Here is what you need to know.

When it comes to Monday’s total solar eclipse, Sarah Rugheimer is all in.

The 40-year-old astronomy professor at York University will be hosting a viewing party at the Royal Hotel in Picton, Ont., a small town in the province’s Prince Edward County region that finds itself in the eclipse’s path of totality.

However, at the moment, Monday’s forecast is uncertain, and Rugheimer doesn’t have a back-up plan.

“I’m stuck at the Royal Hotel because that’s where I’ve committed to be,” she told Global News on Friday.

“I couldn’t fall asleep last night because I was thinking about the cloud coverage. This is my first total solar eclipse. I’m 40 years old. I’ve never seen one. I’m so excited about it, and I’m a little concerned that we will be clouded out.”

Millions of Canadians in parts of the Maritimes, Quebec and Ontario will get to see either a partial or total solar eclipse, depending on where they live.

Cities and towns that find themselves in the path of totality — where a complete solar eclipse will be visible — are expecting an influx of visitors. Niagara Falls, Ont., has declared a state of emergency ahead of the celestial event. It is expecting to see close to a million visitors on Monday.

A solar eclipse occurs when the moon comes between the Earth and the sun, casting a shadow on Earth. However, a total solar eclipse occurs when the moon perfectly aligns with the Earth and sun, completely blocking the sunlight and causing darkness for some time.