New Delhi, July 21 - Scientists, students, corporate executives and housewives -- almost everyone is excited about watching the total solar eclipse Wednesday. But the weather may play spoilsport in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and New Delhi -- cloudy skies and the possibility of rain might make viewing the celestial spectacle difficult.

The national capital experienced showers Tuesday afternoon, bringing smiles to people's faces but at the same time narrowing the possibilities of clear skies on the eclipse day Wednesday.

'Delhi is likely to receive slight to heavy rainfall in the next 24 hours,' an official at the Safdarjung met office told IANS.

The Uttar Pradesh Met Department has also forecast cloudy skies and thundershowers in several places, including Varanasi, Lucknow and Allahabad that could have offered one of the best views otherwise.

'Cyclonic circulation over Uttar Pradesh will result in clouds, which in turn would certainly make eclipse viewing difficult in parts of the state,' State Met Director J.P. Gupta told IANS.

Moreover, a well-marked low pressure area over northwest Bay of Bengal that has concentrated into a depression is likely to move towards the state and could result in rainfall in some parts of the state, he added.

In Varanasi, the maximum totality duration of the eclipse would be three minutes and 10 seconds.