Americans have glasses on and fingers crossed that the skies are clear for the eclipse
The North West Side of the Eclipse: Totality in the U.S. and the Central Counties of Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana
And the NWS, which plans to issue a final weather update at noon ET, says the forecast could still change: “Totality or bust, check the forecast and adjust!”
The National Weather Service was watching a lot more than the eclipse. It said dangerous storms were expected to develop around and after the eclipse across a large portion of Texas, south Oklahoma, southwest Arkansas and Louisiana.
The National Weather Service said that the view will be impacted by cloud coverage, but the clouds would not obscure it completely in New England.
Governors in Arkansas and Indiana, along with several other counties and cities in the path of the eclipse have declared a state of emergency to get more resources to deal with traffic and visitors.
There is much anticipation and preparation heading into the day, as people have made travel plans, organized viewing parties, broken out their red and green gear and generally gotten ready to make the most of a brief moment of daytime darkness.
Totality will start in the U.S. around 1:30 p.m. CT/2:30 p.m. ET and continue for about an hour, lasting for several minutes in each location (you can check yours here, and follow along online even if you’re outside the path).
Over 30 million Americans live within the path of totality, according to NASA — and many more traveled, either across town or out of state, for peak eclipse viewing.
Millions of Americans have been waiting for a long time for this day, and after so many road trips, hotel bookings and glasses purchases, it is finally here.
A Rare Solar Eclipse Darkened Skys and Dazzled Viewers across the U.S. Signed by Mayor Linda Joy Sullivan
After crossing into Texas as a partial eclipse, it appeared along the Mexico’s Pacific Coast around 11 a.m.
As it made its way north, it brought with it brief periods of daytime darkness to a large part of the path of totality.
Officials in Houlton, Maine — the last U.S. city in the eclipse’s path — spent over two years planning days of festivities. So did Muncie, Ind., where one museum official told NPR the city was expecting some 100,000 visitors — nearly doubling the population.
In Vermont — which was bracing for some 160,000 visitors — municipal garages in Burlington were full by 11 a.m. ET, more than four hours ahead of totality. In 90 private planes, visitors were from all over the world, according to Newport mayor Linda Joy Sullivan.
Cleveland dispatched traffic officers across the city to facilitate movement on the roads, flooded with cars both for the eclipse and the Cleveland Guardians’ home opener.
Across the path of totality, viewers gathered at parks, science centers, schools and other community centers to take in the scene. They could be seen craning their necks while they clapped as the sky darkened.
The storms were predicted to bring large hail and damaging winds, making it more likely that people won’t be able to travel after the eclipse.
Monica and Prashant and their son Ved, from New Jersey, were able to change their flights from Dallas to Vermont because of the forecast.
Source: A rare solar eclipse darkened skies and dazzled viewers across the U.S.
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But many others still flocked to North and Central Texas, which had some of the longest totality times in the country and were expected to draw up to a million travelers — and a sizable corresponding boom in business. Crowds formed in Dallas to buy eclipse-themed merchandise.
A rare solar eclipse darkened skies and dazzled viewers across the US on Tuesday. The moon briefly blocked the sun’s rays, causing a partial solar eclipse and the longest annular eclipse of the year. The eclipse took place between 1:23 pm and 2:49 pm (local time) in parts of Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana.