Residents in Mississippi Mills, Ontario, had a difficult time seeing the total lunar eclipse on the morning of March 3, 2026, due to thick cloud cover and early morning timing. According to Time and Date, the totality phase of the eclipse began at 6:04 AM, reaching its maximum at 6:33 AM. However, the moon set at 6:40 AM just as the sun was rising, which left only a short time for people to see the moon turn its signature red colour low on the horizon.
Official reports from Environment Canada showed that it was mostly cloudy in the area during the peak of the event. The weather agency expects clouds to stay throughout the night of March 3, 2026, with fog patches likely to form around midnight, which could make travel or night viewing even more difficult for those looking at the sky.
While many families and local groups had hoped to watch the sky from local parks, the poor visibility made it hard to spot the “Blood Moon” phase. Information from Space.com noted that this was a rare opportunity, as the next total lunar eclipse visible in Ontario will not happen for another three years, in June 2029.
Outside of the sky conditions, the Mississippi Valley Conservation Authority continues to monitor the Mississippi River for seasonal water level increases. It is common for the river to rise during March because of melting snow and spring runoff, though the Municipality of Mississippi Mills has not issued any active flood alerts for the date of the eclipse.
