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1430 GMT (9:30 a.m. EST)
Forecasters have improved the outlook for Tuesday’s launch opportunity at 6:20 a.m. EST (1120 GMT), with a 70 percent chance of favorable weather conditions now predicted.
“A frontal boundary has settled in over Central Florida,” the U.S. Air Force’s 45th Weather Squadron wrote in a forecast issued early Monday. “This front and its associated cloudiness will be very slow to move south of the Space Coast. With the clouds only slowly eroding overhead, the primary weather concern remains thick clouds.”

Forecasters predict scattered clouds at 2,000 feet and 12,000 feet, and a broken cloud deck at 24,000 feet for Tuesday’s predawn launch opportunity for SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket.

Officials are watching a sunspot on the Earth-facing side of the sun, but they do not expect any space weather launch criteria to be violated Tuesday.

The forecast calls for north-northeast winds of 5 to 10 mph, a temperature of around 64 degrees Fahrenheit, and good visibility.

The next launch attempt after Tuesday would likely come Friday, when there is an 80 percent chance of good weather.

“A strong push of cold air associated with a large high pressure area to the north will move the frontal boundary fully south of the spaceport on Wednesday,” Air Force forecasters said. “Winds will be northerly and brisk, ushering in cold air Thursday. On Friday winds veer and weaken, adding a slight risk of coastal showers. The primary weather concern for Friday is flight through precipitation.”