Millions of people are expected to flock to states along the viewing path of the Great North American Eclipse on April 8.
Multiple counties in Central Texas are preparing for an influx of skywatchers who will travel to the viewing path of the total solar eclipse next month.
Authorities in Travis, Bell, and Kerr counties, which are situated along the path of totality, have already issued disaster declarations or states of emergency, which will take effect ahead of the Great North American Eclipse on April 8.
On Friday, March 8, Travis County Judge Andy Brown issued a
Declaration of Local Disaster in anticipation of the high number of visitors to the area, which is expected to impact county services, including first responder organizations, hospitals, grocery stores, and cell phone service in the days leading up to and after the rare event.
“Previous eclipses have showed us that populations can double depending on how big the city is and how many people were expected,” Travis County spokesperson Hector Nieto told local
KVUE-TV. So, if that’s the case, then we could see up to a million additional people just here in the Travis County area.”
Travis County, which encompasses Austin and the surrounding areas, has an estimated
population of about 1.3 million.
A large part of the Lone Star State, from Eagle Pass to Texarkana, is in the path of totality. The centerline of the eclipse will cross Mexico into the United States at the Rio Grande River at approximately
12:10 p.m. CDT.
“A total solar eclipse happens when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth, completely blocking the face of the Sun,” says
NASA, adding that the sky will become dark as if it were dusk or dawn.
Those in the shadow “will experience the breathtaking sight of the Sun’s corona during the total solar eclipse,” the Great American Eclipse
website states.
Nearby Bell County, which has a population of about 400,000, also expects its population to double as skywatchers flock to the area.
“In order to protect the health, safety, and welfare of both residents and visitors, Bell County has determined that extraordinary measures must be taken in the form of a local emergency declaration,” the county
announced on its website in late February.
On Monday, March 4, Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly also issued a disaster declaration. The small county is home to about 53,000 residents and expects to “double or triple in population over the eclipse weekend and through the event that Monday.”
“We expect that kind of visiting traffic here to cause extreme traffic congestion on our roadways, place an enormous strain on our first responders and hospital systems, drain our food and fuel supplies, and strain our city and county infrastructure to, quite possibly, river capacity,” Mr. Kelley said in a statement last week, adding that he issued the declaration for safety reasons.
Mr. Kelly also advised residents to prepare ahead and stay home on the day of the eclipse.
“I encourage you to stay off the roads and at home, if possible, on the day of the event,” he said. “Also, in the week preceding the event, I would encourage you to make sure your vehicles are tanked up, that you have sufficient grocery supplies, that your prescriptions are filled, and that you are stocked up on provisions for any animals in your care over the duration of eclipse weekend.”
Path of Totality
The 2024 total solar eclipse will move across Mexico before sweeping over 13 states—Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine—and continuing into Canada. It will also cross over small areas of Michigan and Tennessee. All of the contiguous 48 states will experience a partial solar eclipse.NASA has estimated that more than 31 million people live in the path of totality and another 150 million live within 200 miles.
Expert solar eclipse cartographer Michael Zeiler told
ABC News that Texas is a prime location for viewing.
“You want to be in the center of the path for the longest duration,” Mr. Zeiler reportedly said. “If you have a friend or relative in the path in Texas, and there are 12 million Texans inside the path, that’s the spot to go because that’s where the best weather prospects are.”
This year’s total eclipse will range from 108 to 122 miles wide, which is much broader than the path of the 2017 total solar eclipse, which ranged from 62 to 71 miles, according to
NASA.
The totality will also last up to 4 minutes and 28 seconds at its longest point in an area northwest of Torreón, Mexico. In 2017, the longest period of totality was 2 minutes and 42 seconds near Carbondale, Illinois.
All of the contiguous 48 states will experience a partial solar eclipse.
Viewing the Eclipse Safely
It is not safe to look at the Sun through any type of optical device, including a camera lens, binoculars, or telescope. The concentrated solar rays will instantly burn through the filter, causing serious injury to your eyes.NASA recommends viewing the eclipse through specialized “eclipse glasses” that comply with
ISO 12312-2 international standards. Do not use glasses that are scratched, torn, or have any other type of damage.
