Up to 100 meteors an hour possible tonight. Will the weather and moon allow it in Georgia?

Date:2025-08-12 23:22:22 Category:US Views:2 Comment:0

NASA calls the Perseid Meteor Shower one of the most plentiful with the opportunity to see 50 to 100 meteors per hour. Monday and Tuesday are the peak days for watching the shower.

But, in order to properly watch it, you'll need the darkest, clearest skies possible. Here's how Georgia is looking tonight, including Weather Channel forecasts:

What is the Perseids Meteor Shower's peak time?

It's technically possible to see meteors as early as 10 p.m. However, you're more likely to see them after midnight.

Will the Moon affect the Perseids Meteor Shower?

Any light that shines into the sky will have a negative impact on your stargazing experience. This includes the light of the Moon. Unfortunately, tonight we will be dealing with a Waning Gibbous, which is when only a slight sliver of the Moon is not visible. This means it will be at about 88% illumination.

While it's theoretically possible to see up to 100 meteors per hours under Perseids, Bill Cooke of NASA’s Meteoroid Environments Office says the average person under dark skies can see 40-50 per hour. But with the Moon in this current phase, the maximum viewing will likely be 10-20 meteors per hour.

Atlanta weather forecast

Atlanta's skies are not looking favorable for meteor viewing as the cloud cover is hovering around 80% or higher until 2 a.m. There are also chances of showers and even thunderstorms around 10 p.m. Temperatures will be around 75 degrees with 92% humidity.

Augusta weather forecast

Augusta's skies are looking slightly favorable, but still not the best: Around 70% cloud cover all night. However, there's little chance of rain. Temperatures will sit around 90 degrees with just over 90% humidity.

Columbus weather forecast

Columbus' skies will look similar to Augusta's with just over 70% cloud cover throughout the night with little chance of rain. However, while the humidity is the same, temperatures should be cooler: Around 80 degrees.

Macon weather forecast

Macon's skies are a bit more intermittent, with the hourly forecast showing 74% cloud coverage at 10 p.m., 79% at 11, 65% at midnight, 84% at 1 a.m., and dropping back down again around 3 a.m. Either way, there is very little chance of rain. Temperatures will be around 76 degrees, but there's high humidity: Up to 97% by 1 a.m.

Savannah weather forecast

Savannah's skies start out as the most favorable of Georgia's major metro areas, but then they get worse as the night goes on. At 10 p.m., cloud coverage is expected to only be a little more than 50%. But, it'll reach close to 70% by 1 a.m. and keep going up through 3 a.m. The chances of rain are pretty low. Temperatures will be a little higher than 80 degrees with the humidity hovering around 90%.

Where are the best dark sky places in Georgia? Find a great spot to see the night sky

In general, for the best viewing experience, you want to find a rural spot as far from any cities, towns, commercial hubs, etc. You'll also want to make sure to look at any spots of the sky away from the Moon. Go Astronomy lists some of the best places for seeing the night sky without light pollution in Georgia. Here are some of their recommendations: