Experts predict “possible meteor outburst” early Sunday morning

A nearly full moon and cloud cover could get in our way of viewing the possible outburst

Taurid Meteor shower from 2014 in North Texas

ROANOKE, Va. – As Earth passes through an asteroid’s debris field Sunday morning, experts with the American Meteor Society say a possible outburst of shooting stars is possible.

While the timing (peak of 6:20 a.m. EDT) is ideal for those on the West Coast of the U.S., you may spot some in the pre-dawn sky this far east.

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The moon will be 99% full, and it doesn’t set until 5:45 in the morning.

That would likely obscure any of the fainter meteors that otherwise would be seen. In addition to that, we’ll need to watch for any residual cloud cover from Saturday’s scattered showers and storms.

Possible meteor outburst early Sunday morning

You’re advised to find a clear spot, mostly void of light pollution and begin by looking northwest.

The American Meteor Society says that this is the first of three possible outbursts this month.

Don’t forget to look up Sunday night into early Monday morning for the total lunar eclipse.

Meteorologist Justin McKee has broken that down in this week’s weather newsletter, which you can sign up for below.


About the Author:

Meteorologist Chris Michaels is an American Meteorological Society (AMS) Certified Broadcaster, forecasting weather conditions in southwest Virginia on WSLS 10 News from 5 a.m. to 7 a.m. weekdays on Virginia Today.