Clouds can often be a pretty inconsequential part of a weather forecast from the publicB次元官网网址檚 perspective, compared to temperature and precipitation.

But on Monday, cloud cover could be what stands B次元官网网址� or floats B次元官网网址揵etween the solar eclipse and throngs gathered along the path of totality in Canada.

B次元官网网址淟etB次元官网网址檚 just say that cloud cover is not the reason why meteorologists get into the profession,B次元官网网址� Gerald Cheng, a meteorologist with Environment Canada, said in an interview.

Cheng joked that he was B次元官网网址渢otally reluctantB次元官网网址� to make specific predictions for what eclipse watchers could expect to see during a narrow window of time come Monday afternoon.

ThatB次元官网网址檚 because weather forecasts can be fickle, he said.

A cloud cover prediction four days in advance, stretching across six provinces, in a brief window of time B次元官网网址渃an be really off,B次元官网网址� he said.

But with those caveats in mind, here is a brief preliminary forecast for Monday, along the solar eclipseB次元官网网址檚 path of totality.

Ontario

In a sign of just how quickly things can change, Cheng said the forecast for southwestern Ontario shifted over the course of a few hours on Thursday.

Around noon, he said the Niagara region and areas along Lake ErieB次元官网网址檚 shores were likely to see blanket cloud cover. But three hours later he updated that forecast to say it could be mainly cloudy, to a mix of sun and cloud.

It appears as though there could be patches in the cloud cover, he said.

B次元官网网址淵ou may be lucky to get a break in there.B次元官网网址�

Moving into eastern Ontario, around Kingston and Cornwall, Cheng said conditions appeared to be slightly better, but still favoured clouds.

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Quebec

The forecast is looking favourable for Quebec regions in the eclipseB次元官网网址檚 path, Cheng said.

B次元官网网址淚t seems like the best, according to our official forecast and looking at the information I have,B次元官网网址� he said.

Cheng said come Monday it B次元官网网址渟hould be sunnyB次元官网网址� in Montreal and Sherbrooke, based on what he could see.

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Newfoundland

A low-pressure system is threatening to spoil the eclipse for watchers in Newfoundland.

Cheng said the offshore system, set to develop off Nova Scotia and move into Newfoundland, could bring B次元官网网址渁 lot of cloud coverB次元官网网址� on Monday.

While he called the area around Gander basically B次元官网网址渁 writeoff,B次元官网网址� he said clouds could start to break on the southwestern tip of the island.

B次元官网网址淲hen we deal with offshore systems, thereB次元官网网址檚 a lot of uncertainty because thereB次元官网网址檚 not a lot of observations, so you always have to check back and see if the system is close or not close,B次元官网网址� he said.

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New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Cape Breton, N.S.

That same low-pressure system was generating some uncertainty in the forecast for the Maritimes, said Cheng.

Cheng said B次元官网网址渋t could be a mix of sun and cloudsB次元官网网址� for parts of New Brunswick, through Prince Edward Island, the tip of Cape Breton and into the Quebec archipelago of the Iles-de-la-Madeleine.

B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 really a mix because the system is leaving,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚t depends on the speed of the system.B次元官网网址�

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