Climatology · 12 August 2026
2026 Balearic Eclipse Weather Guide
The eclipse of 12 August 2026 happens very low in the west-north-west sky over the Balearics, in the last hour before sunset. That makes cloud a bigger risk than the raw statistics suggest: even a thin band of cloud sitting on the horizon can hide totality completely. This guide summarises typical mid-August cloud and rain behaviour across Mallorca, Ibiza and Formentera so you can pick ground with the best odds — then use the interactive eclipse map to check timings and terrain obstruction at your exact spot.
Why August is a good month — and where it isn't
Peak dry season
August is the driest month of the Balearic year. Most days bring less than a quarter sky cover, and measurable rain falls on only one or two days across the whole month.
Afternoon mountain cloud
The one reliable spoiler is convective cloud over Mallorca's Serra de Tramuntana. It builds through the afternoon and is at its most developed around the time of maximum eclipse.
Low sun, thin margin
With the sun only a few degrees up, you are looking through a long slice of atmosphere. Coastal haze, Saharan dust and horizon cloud matter far more than they would at midday.
Typical August cloud cover by location
Figures are climatological averages for mid-August afternoons — long-run odds, not a forecast. Treat them as a way to rank locations against each other.
| Location | Mean cloud | Rain days (Aug) | Assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
Cap de Formentor / Pollença north coast Mallorca | ~22% | 1–2 days | Open sea to the west-north-west, but the Tramuntana ridge sits behind you and can seed late-afternoon cloud that drifts offshore. |
Sóller, Valldemossa, Tramuntana valleys Mallorca | ~35% | 2–3 days | The cloudiest option. Orographic build-up over the Serra de Tramuntana peaks in the late afternoon, exactly when the eclipse happens — and the ridge also blocks the low sun. |
Palma Bay, Illetes, Magaluf Mallorca | ~26% | 1–2 days | Convenient, decent odds, sea horizon to the west-south-west. Watch for haze low down over the bay. |
Migjorn plain: Campos, Ses Salines, Cap de Ses Salines Mallorca | ~20% | 1 day | The flat southern plain is one of the driest, clearest corners of Mallorca in August, with an unobstructed low western horizon. |
Ibiza west coast: Cala Comte, Cala Bassa, Sant Antoni Ibiza | ~17% | 1 day | Best all-round odds in the archipelago. No high ground upwind, a clean open-Mediterranean horizon and the island's own sunset coast. |
Ibiza interior: Sant Josep, Sant Rafel Ibiza | ~20% | 1 day | Slightly more inland cloud than the coast, and Sa Talaia (475 m) can clip your western skyline if you sit east of it. |
Formentera: Cap de Barbaria, Migjorn beaches Formentera | ~15% | <1 day | Statistically the clearest and flattest ground on offer: low, small, surrounded by sea, with almost no terrain to build cloud or hide the sun. |
Where to stand: the short answer
1. Formentera, west or south coast
Lowest cloud odds, flat ground, sea to the west. The catch is logistics — ferry capacity and accommodation are tight in August, so plan far ahead.
2. West coast of Ibiza
Almost as clear as Formentera with far easier access. Cala Comte, Cala Bassa and the Sant Antoni headlands all give an unbroken marine horizon.
3. Southern and south-eastern Mallorca
Cap de Ses Salines, Colònia de Sant Jordi and the Migjorn plain keep you well clear of Tramuntana cloud while staying on the main island.
Avoid if you can
Tramuntana valleys such as Sóller and Valldemossa: cloudiest odds and the worst western skyline. A high mountain viewpoint does not help when the sun is setting behind the ridge.
Planning in the final week
Climatology only sets your starting position. From about five days out, satellite and high-resolution model guidance becomes genuinely useful, and the Balearics are small enough that a two-hour drive or a morning ferry can move you from a cloudy island to a clear one. Stay mobile, keep a plan B on a different island, and give yourself an open western horizon — with the sun this low, terrain matters as much as the sky.