Floridians are days away from witnessing a total lunar eclipse, with the "blood moon" visible for several hours as the Earth casts its shadow across the moon.
Here's what to know about the lunar eclipse and its view from cities around Florida.
When is the March 2025 total lunar eclipse?
The upcoming total lunar eclipse will occur close to midnight on Thursday, March 13, and into the early morning hours of Friday, March 14.
What is a total lunar eclipse? Why does the moon turn red during a total lunar eclipse?
A lunar eclipse occurs when the sun, moon and Earth align, allowing the moon to pass into Earth's shadow, according to NASA.
During a total solar eclipse, the entire moon falls within the umbra, the darkest part of Earth's shadow, where the moon appears red-orange.
Lunar eclipses are often called "blood moons" because a red hue can be produced when the Earth's shadow covers the moon. The coloration happens because any sunlight not blocked by Earth is filtered through a thick slice of Earth's atmosphere as it approaches the lunar surface, according to NASA.
"It's as if all the world's sunrises and sunsets are projected onto the Moon," NASA explains on its website.
Will the total lunar eclipse be visible from Florida?
Yes.
Weather permitting, the eclipse will be visible not only across Florida but all of North America, but also in South America, western parts of Europe and Africa.
What time can you watch the total lunar eclipse in Florida?
If you live in the U.S., the eclipse should begin around 11:57 p.m. EST on Thursday, March 13, reach totality around 2:30 a.m. EST and complete the process around 6 a.m. EST Friday, March 14.
For Floridians, the time will differ between the two time zones in the state. The Panhandle can expect to see the lunar eclipse around midnight CDT on March 14. The Florida Peninsula can expect to see the lunar eclipse start about 1 a.m. EDT.
What will the weather be like in Florida during a total lunar eclipse?
AccuWeather meteorologists are predicting Florida -- especially along the east coast and southern Florida -- will have a good to fair chance of seeing the total lunar eclipse Thursday night.
As of Monday, March 10, here is the current forecast for conditions across Florida on Thursday night:
What will you see during the total lunar eclipse? How long will the lunar eclipse last?
Time and Date predicts the moon will complete all of the eclipse phases in 6 hours, 3 minutes.
How rare is a total lunar eclipse?
According to the National Weather Service, lunar eclipses only occur on average one or two times a year instead of every month.
" ... the Moon's orbit is tilted 5 degrees from Earth's orbit. For an eclipse to occur, the Moon and Earth have to be on the same orbital plane with the Sun, so the Earth's shadow can be cast onto the Moon from the Sun," the NWS reads.
When is North America's next total lunar eclipse?
Mark your calendars for this time next year! The next total lunar eclipse in North America will be March 3, 2026.