Clouds can often be a pretty inconsequential part of a weather forecast from the public含羞草研究社檚 perspective, compared to temperature and precipitation.

But on Monday, cloud cover could be what stands 含羞草研究社� or floats 含羞草研究社揵etween the solar eclipse and throngs gathered along the path of totality in Canada.

含羞草研究社淟et含羞草研究社檚 just say that cloud cover is not the reason why meteorologists get into the profession,含羞草研究社� Gerald Cheng, a meteorologist with Environment Canada, said in an interview.

Cheng joked that he was 含羞草研究社渢otally reluctant含羞草研究社� to make specific predictions for what eclipse watchers could expect to see during a narrow window of time come Monday afternoon.

That含羞草研究社檚 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 含羞草研究社渃an be really off,含羞草研究社� he said.

But with those caveats in mind, here is a brief preliminary forecast for Monday, along the solar eclipse含羞草研究社檚 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 Erie含羞草研究社檚 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.

含羞草研究社淵ou may be lucky to get a break in there.含羞草研究社�

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 eclipse含羞草研究社檚 path, Cheng said.

含羞草研究社淚t seems like the best, according to our official forecast and looking at the information I have,含羞草研究社� he said.

Cheng said come Monday it 含羞草研究社渟hould be sunny含羞草研究社� 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 含羞草研究社渁 lot of cloud cover含羞草研究社� on Monday.

While he called the area around Gander basically 含羞草研究社渁 writeoff,含羞草研究社� he said clouds could start to break on the southwestern tip of the island.

含羞草研究社淲hen we deal with offshore systems, there含羞草研究社檚 a lot of uncertainty because there含羞草研究社檚 not a lot of observations, so you always have to check back and see if the system is close or not close,含羞草研究社� 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 含羞草研究社渋t could be a mix of sun and clouds含羞草研究社� 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.

含羞草研究社淭hat含羞草研究社檚 really a mix because the system is leaving,含羞草研究社� he said. 含羞草研究社淚t depends on the speed of the system.含羞草研究社�

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