Hanford, CA – Residents across Central California will want to set an early alarm Wednesday as a total lunar eclipse transforms the moon into a deep red “Blood Moon” before sunrise.
According to the National Weather Service in Hanford, the eclipse will begin at 1:50 a.m. PST Wednesday. Totality starts at 3:04 a.m. and lasts until 4:03 a.m., when the moon will glow with a reddish tint as Earth’s shadow fully covers it. The eclipse concludes at 5:17 a.m., shortly before daybreak.
The event will be visible across the Central Valley, including Fresno, Visalia, Bakersfield and Hanford, provided skies remain mostly clear. Forecasters expect generally favorable viewing conditions in valley communities, though some localized cloud cover near the Sierra Nevada foothills could briefly limit visibility.
This full moon is known as the Worm Moon, a seasonal name tied to early March when warming soil signals earthworms to reemerge.
Lunar eclipses are safe to view without protective eyewear. For the best experience, viewers should head to darker areas away from city lights and allow extra travel time if heading out during the overnight hours.
More sky condition updates could be issued if cloud trends change before sunrise Wednesday.
