Splashdown for Artemis II looking good, but NASA monitors Pacific storm that could impact landing

All eyes are on the Artemis II crew as the Orion spacecraft is set to splash down in the Pacific Ocean on their return from space on Friday, and weather conditions will need to be considered for when and where the crew could land off the West Coast.

Just a week ago, the world was counting down the minutes until Artemis II would launch into space, sending humans to orbit around the Moon for the first time in decades.

Thankfully, the weather cooperated for the launch on the Florida coast, and Mother Nature is expected to do the same for the astronauts' homecoming.

Specific criteria are needed for the successful recovery of the Orion spacecraft in the Pacific Ocean. First, wave heights must be less than 6 feet. Winds cannot be more than 28 mph.

Forecasters want good visibility and minimum cloud cover, which also means no rain or thunderstorm activity, including lightning, within 35 miles of the splashdown site.

The splashdown location will be off the coast of San Diego. NASA is looking at an area about 50 to 80 miles offshore for the splashdown location. This gives forecasters a window of time and location to ensure the Orion crew is safe during reentry and that crews on the ground can retrieve the capsule.

There is an increasing chance for showers and possibly a thunderstorm near San Diego as a Pacific storm system begins to approach the West Coast.

A cold front will even be just offshore of California on Friday. Thankfully, the conditions expected for the splashdown window remain favorable.

As of Wednesday, the splashdown time of the Orion capsule off the California coast is scheduled for 5:07 p.m. PDT on April 10, and the forecast is expected to cooperate.

The crew will enter Earth's atmosphere just before the top of the hour and then land in the Pacific Ocean minutes later during its high-speed reentry.

The spacecraft will eventually slow down to roughly 17 mph when it lands in the ocean, thanks to the deployment of several parachutes.

Residents near the coast of San Diego might also hear a sonic boom as the spacecraft enters the atmosphere.

NASA will confirm the exact landing time and approximate location on Thursday.