Overview
- The eclipse crosses Spain on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, with partial phases beginning around 19:30–19:45 and maximum totality about 20:30–20:33 depending on location.
- Regional and municipal bodies have activated crowd‑management plans and staffed official observation points, including the Basque LABI civil‑protection plan and over 50 designated sites in Madrid.
- Transport operators have reinforced services to move viewers to vantage points, with Renfe holding reserve Cercanías trains at Chamartín and the CRTM adding extra buses to mountain and coastal lines.
- Experts and authorities warn that only ISO 12312-2 certified eclipse glasses protect eyes during partial phases and that filters must be used except for the brief seconds of true totality inside the band.
- Forecast uncertainty from AEMET makes visibility uneven: the interior and Balearics look most promising while the Cantabrian coast and some Mediterranean shores face a higher risk of low clouds that could prompt last‑minute changes of plan and extra local congestion.