'Blood Moon' Lunar Eclipse May Be Visible In Puget Sound This Month

SEATTLE — There are early signs in the forecast that the gloomy run of spring weather could dissipate in time for Puget Sound to catch a glimpse of a total lunar eclipse later this month. While the eclipse is still a couple of weeks out, the National Weather Service said Monday that early models suggested a favorable shift toward drier and warmer conditions heading toward May 15.

If the long-term forecast holds up, at least a portion of the eclipse will easily be viewable across the region.

According to EarthSky, this month's total "blood moon" eclipse will be seen across the Americas, Europe and Africa, with places like Washington catching the show during moonrise, while it's situated low on the horizon. The totality of the eclipse will last about 85 minutes, and the moon will loom large in the night sky.

"This lunar eclipse takes place 1.5 days before the moon reaches perigee, its closest point to the Earth for the month," EarthDay explains. "So this full moon is a supermoon. That means, during this eclipse, the moon appears relatively large in our sky."

Thanks to the supermoon, those living along or visiting the coast can also expect higher "king tides" in the days following the eclipse.

Around Seattle, the moon will still be below the horizon when the penumbral, partial and full eclipse begins, but will be visible as the moon reaches its maximum eclipse. Altogether, the show should last for approximately three hours.

Here is the Seattle timeline for the May 15, 2022, total lunar eclipse, courtesy of Time and Date:

Below the horizon:

• Penumbral eclipse begins: 6:32 p.m.
• Partial eclipse begins: 7:27 p.m.
• Full eclipse begins: 8:29 p.m.

Visible in Seattle:

• Maximum eclipse begins: 9:11 p.m.
• Full eclipse ends: 9:53 p.m.
• Partial eclipse ends: 10:55 p.m.
• Penumbral eclipse ends: 11:50 p.m.