Meteors of the Orionid meteor shower streak as they cross through the milkyway in the mountainous area of Tannourine in northern Lebanon, on October 3, 2021. (Photo by IBRAHIM CHALHOUB/AFP via Getty Images)

PANAMA CITY, Fla. WEATHER (WMBB) — The Orionid meteor shower comes around annually during the month of October.

This year the peak of the event is slated for late Thursday night/early Friday morning (Oct 20-21).

The best time to view this shower will be after midnight through pre-dawn hours. Viewers will want to look toward the S & SE horizon, finding the constellation of Orions Belt or Mars.

However, according to Space.com, you want to “keep your eyes moving around and don’t stare at any one place; keep looking all over.”

The swarm of meteors is actually bits and pieces shed off of Halleys Comet. Stargazers should see a range of 10-20 meteors per hour.

If you’re wondering if we will be able to see the meteor shower here in the Panhandle, you’re in luck! The celestial event will be visible to most of North America, granted it’s not a cloudy night.

Forecasted cloud cover over the Panhandle late Thursday/early Friday.

Despite chilly temperatures, Thursday night’s forecast will be perfect for stargazers. Overnight temperatures are expected to dip into the upper 30s/lower 40s further inland, while coastal neighborhoods settle into the upper 40s/lower 50s.