Preparation for the Sun Rise and Settling for Next-to-Leading-Order Totality in the United States and the U.S.
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!”
On Monday, the National Weather Service was watching more than the eclipse. It stated that there would be dangerous storms after the eclipse across a large portion of Texas, south Oklahoma, southwest Arkansas and Louisiana.
The National Weather Service said in the morning that it could be hard to see from Texas into southern Arkansas, as well as across Ohio, northwest Pennsylvania and New York, with a 20-30% chance of rain.
And in recent days, the governors of Arkansas and Indiana, as well as several counties and cities in states across the eclipse’s path, have declared states of emergency to make more resources available to deal with the influx of visitors and traffic.
People make travel plans, organized viewing parties, and break out their red and green gear as they prepare to see the sun rise and set on a nice day.
Totality will begin in the US at 1:30 p.m.CT/ 2:30 p.m. E and continue for approximately an hour, depending on where you’re located.
The communities in the path of totality are making preparations too. Officials in Houlton, Maine — the last U.S. city in the eclipse’s path — have spent over two years planning days of festivities.
A rare solar eclipse darkened skies and dazzled viewers across the U.S. The event began at 11 a.m. ET and passed through the path of totality
After countless road trips, hotel bookings, glasses purchases and fingers crossed for good weather, the day millions of Americans have been waiting for is finally here.
It first appeared along Mexico’s Pacific Coast just after 11 a.m. PT before crossing into Texas as a partial eclipse, progressing to totality around 1:30 p.m. CT.
It made its way north over the next several hours, bringing brief moments — no more than five minutes’ worth — of daytime darkness to areas in the over 100-mile wide path of totality.
The officials in Houlton, Maine spent over two years planning for the eclipse. So did Muncie, Ind., where one museum official told NPR the city was expecting some 100,000 visitors — nearly doubling the population.
In Vermont, where 160,000 people were expecting, municipal garages in Burlington were sold out more than four hours before totality. Linda Joy Sullivan told Vermont Edition that there were visitors from all over the world, including in 90 private planes.
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, schools and other community centers to view the scene. They could be seen clapping and cheering while the sky was dark.
The area was being warned to prepare for large hail, damaging winds and tornado threats.
Monica and Prasky Joshi and their son Ved decided to rebook their flights from Dallas to Vermont because of the forecast.
Source: A rare solar eclipse darkened skies and dazzled viewers [across the U.S.](https://npr.org/sections/pictureshow/2024/04/08/1243386496/a-rare-solar-eclipse-darkened-skies-and-dazzled-viewers-across-the-u-s)
The Elliptical Dallas, Fla. – A Post-Newtonian Look at an Exonaut’s Journey through the Dark Ages
Many others were drawn to the area due to its long stretches of time with no sun and expected a boom in business. Clouds didn’t stop crowds from forming — and buying eclipse-themed merchandise — in Dallas.