Clouds will eclipse shot at moon

Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2004 | 11:04 a.m.

Another wet week may be ahead for the Las Vegas Valley, as meteorologists expect an 80 percent chance of showers will continue through Thursday, according to the National Weather Service.

But overcast conditions mean valley residents will be stuck watching tonight's lunar eclipse on television. It will occur during tonight's World Series game in St. Louis.

Forecasters expect sunny or partly cloudy skies for Halloween on Sunday, as well as on Friday and Saturday, but no rain, Donald Maker, a meteorologist with the Weather Service, said. About one-hundredth of an inch of rain fell at McCarran International Airport this morning, according to the Weather Service. The rain was expected to continue through this afternoon.

Tonight's clouds are expected to obscure the eclipse, which occurs when the moon slips into the Earth's shadow. It will begin its partial phase about 6:15 tonight and will reach its darkest point at 8:04 p.m., astronomers said.

It will be the last total eclipse until March 3, 2007, and that next one won't be visible from the continental United States.

The overcast conditions are expected to bring continued chilly temperatures, which on Halloween night are expected to be in the mid-40s, with the high about 60.

A winter storm warning for the surrounding mountains is also scheduled to last until 4 a.m. Thursday.

About 6 inches of new snow was reported at the base of Mount Charleston this morning, Steve Fellows, a manager at the Las Vegas Ski and Snowboard Resort, said.

Today's high will be in upper 50s, warming to the low 60s Thursday, and then the mid-60s Saturday.