Eclipse watchers are keeping a close eye on the weather ahead of a solar eclipse that will plunge a wide strip of North America into daytime darkness on Monday.

Forecasters are predicting cloudy conditions in northern Mexico, Texas and parts of the Great Lakes region.

Better weather is expected in western Mexico and parts of the US Midwest.

And some of the best viewing is likely to be under clear spring skies in New England and Canada.

Starting in the Pacific Ocean, the eclipse will become visible on the coast of Mexico near the city of Mazatlan at about 11:07 local time (19:07 BST).

The shadow of the Moon will run across the Earth at a speed of 1,500 mph (2,400 km/h) – tracing a north-easterly arc through the states of Durango and Coahuila before casting parts of Texas, Arkansas and neighbouring states into darkness.

As the path crosses over the US Midwest, a phenomenon known as totality – when the Sun is completely obscured by the Moon – will cross over the cities of Indianapolis, Cleveland and Buffalo.

At around 15:18 Eastern (19:18 GMT) the eclipse will reach Niagara Falls, where a record crowd of up to a million people is expected to turn out to watch mist from the famous cataract turn a pinkish hue – provided the weather co-operates.

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