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April 8, 2024 Total Solar Eclipse

Started by webny99, March 03, 2023, 03:03:36 PM

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webny99

The countdown is on! In approximately 400 days, a swath of the US will experience a total solar eclipse for just the second time in recent history, and the first time since 2017. I figured it's time to start a thread for us to share viewing plans and, when the time comes, viewing experiences. A map of the eclipse's path can be found here: https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/map/2024-april-8

The following cities/metro areas are on or near the centerline of the eclipse's path:
Waco, TX
Indianapolis, IN
Cleveland, OH
Erie, PA
Buffalo, NY
Rochester, NY
Sherbrooke, QC

The following cities/metro areas are at least partially in the path of totality, but closer to the edge(s):
San Antonio, TX
Austin, TX
Dallas, TX
Fort Worth, TX
Little Rock, AR
Evansville, IN
Dayton, OH
Columbus, OH
Toledo, OH
Syracuse, NY
Hamilton, ON
Montreal, QC

The US/Canada border from just south of Detroit to northern Maine is also in the path of totality.




7/8

I lucked into seeing the 2017 eclipse. I had a trip planned to drive down to Orlando, and a few weeks before leaving, I read about the eclipse online. Well it turns out our overnight stay in Nashville was timed perfectly to see it! (my Dad couldn't figure out why the hotels were so expensive that night :-D). There were some clouds in the sky that afternoon, but thankfully the eclipse weather worked out. It was a really cool experience and I've been excited for the 2024 ever since. :)

Here's a great link for a weather analysis along the 2024 eclipse path, focusing on the probability of overcast skies:
https://eclipsophile.com/2024tse/

I'm still undecided on what I'll do for 2024. The eclipse path comes pretty close to Kitchener, but early April doesn't have the best outlook weather-wise. Also, the eclipse would be a good reason for me to visit Mexico for the first time. Luckily I still have time to think about it.

ZLoth

For the 2017 Eclipse, I traveled two days and had hotel rooms about an hour north of Smith's Ferry (center line of the path) for the eclipse. It was, quite simply, two minutes of AWESOME!!! Ironically, that also was the first day of school for many kids in the area. :wow: There were folks who planned their vacation around this event also.

As for 2024 Eclipse, I'm right on the edge of the eclipse line, and plan on taking the day off work. This will be the last solar elipse in the continental United States until (I believe) 2045. There are cruises out there just for eclipses.
I'm an Engineer. That means I solve problems. Not problems like "What is beauty?", because that would fall within the purview of your conundrums of philosophy. I solve practical problems and call them "paychecks".

SectorZ

I'm going to head up to NW Vermont to see it the day of.

US 89

Fairly certain we've had this thread before...
At any rate, I think I'm going to try driving to somewhere in Texas to see this.

oscar

Quote from: US 89 on March 05, 2023, 09:35:23 AM
Fairly certain we've had this thread before...

https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=32064.0 was about a possible viewing meet in southern Illinois, though the discussion went far afield.
my Hot Springs and Highways pages, with links to my roads sites:
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ET21

I might drive down to check this out, Indy's only about 90 mins away. I may though chill in an open field somewhere, don't care to be stuck in gridlocks on the main routes
The local weatherman, trust me I can be 99.9% right!
"Show where you're going, without forgetting where you're from"

Clinched:
IL: I-88, I-180, I-190, I-290, I-294, I-355, IL-390
IN: I-80, I-94
SD: I-190
WI: I-90, I-94
MI: I-94, I-196
MN: I-90

webny99

Also worth noting: totality will be quite a bit longer during this eclipse than it was during the 2017 eclipse. That one peaked at 2m 40s. This one will be over four minutes in some places, and around 3m 40s here in the Rochester area.

Bruce

I am hoping to head to Texas or Arkansas for the eclipse, fitting some clinching around a long road trip at that time. I was in the path of totality near Salem, OR for 2017 and it was an amazing experience...seeing a sunset in all directions and feeling the sharp drop in temperature when totality set in was too much fun.

There will be other eclipses in the 2040s, including a total eclipse that will hit Montana and North Dakota on August 23, 2044.

Roadgeekteen

Question: from Amherst, where is the closest place where you can see even a small part of the eclipse? It's on a monday so I will likely have school, but wondering if I can see anything nearby at all.
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Amaury

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webny99

Quote from: Roadgeekteen on March 05, 2023, 08:17:22 PM
Question: from Amherst, where is the closest place where you can see even a small part of the eclipse? It's on a monday so I will likely have school, but wondering if I can see anything nearby at all.

You're in luck! Amherst, NY will see totality for approx. 3m 45s ...


Oh. From Amherst, MA, your best bet would be to head north/northwest. If you're looking for the shortest drive time, your options are roughly:
-Syracuse via I-90
-Schroon Lake, NY via I-87
-Montpelier via I-89
-St. Johnsbury via I-91

Probably one of the last two would be closest, but you're looking at a few hours drive no matter what.

Rothman

Huh.  Surprised roadgeekteen didn't specify the state.  Locals know it's Amherst without the H in MA and AmHHHHHurst in NY.  Back in days of yore, the high schools did exchanges of various kinds.  That got ended, I believe, due to some raucous parties or something like that.  Wonder if the tradition started up again.
Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position(s) of NYSDOT.

Roadgeekteen

Quote from: Rothman on March 05, 2023, 11:10:43 PM
Huh.  Surprised roadgeekteen didn't specify the state.  Locals know it's Amherst without the H in MA and AmHHHHHurst in NY.  Back in days of yore, the high schools did exchanges of various kinds.  That got ended, I believe, due to some raucous parties or something like that.  Wonder if the tradition started up again.
I forgot that New York had an Amherst.
God-emperor of Alanland, king of all the goats and goat-like creatures

Current Interstate map I am making:

https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?hl=en&mid=1PEDVyNb1skhnkPkgXi8JMaaudM2zI-Y&ll=29.05778059819179%2C-82.48856825&z=5

Rothman

Quote from: Roadgeekteen on March 05, 2023, 11:40:52 PM
Quote from: Rothman on March 05, 2023, 11:10:43 PM
Huh.  Surprised roadgeekteen didn't specify the state.  Locals know it's Amherst without the H in MA and AmHHHHHurst in NY.  Back in days of yore, the high schools did exchanges of various kinds.  That got ended, I believe, due to some raucous parties or something like that.  Wonder if the tradition started up again.
I forgot that New York had an Amherst.
Shame!
Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position(s) of NYSDOT.

Roadgeekteen

Quote from: Rothman on March 05, 2023, 11:42:16 PM
Quote from: Roadgeekteen on March 05, 2023, 11:40:52 PM
Quote from: Rothman on March 05, 2023, 11:10:43 PM
Huh.  Surprised roadgeekteen didn't specify the state.  Locals know it's Amherst without the H in MA and AmHHHHHurst in NY.  Back in days of yore, the high schools did exchanges of various kinds.  That got ended, I believe, due to some raucous parties or something like that.  Wonder if the tradition started up again.
I forgot that New York had an Amherst.
Shame!
I looked it up and Amherst NY has 129 thousand people. WTF that's twice the size of Utica.
God-emperor of Alanland, king of all the goats and goat-like creatures

Current Interstate map I am making:

https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?hl=en&mid=1PEDVyNb1skhnkPkgXi8JMaaudM2zI-Y&ll=29.05778059819179%2C-82.48856825&z=5

Rothman

Quote from: Roadgeekteen on March 05, 2023, 11:47:13 PM
Quote from: Rothman on March 05, 2023, 11:42:16 PM
Quote from: Roadgeekteen on March 05, 2023, 11:40:52 PM
Quote from: Rothman on March 05, 2023, 11:10:43 PM
Huh.  Surprised roadgeekteen didn't specify the state.  Locals know it's Amherst without the H in MA and AmHHHHHurst in NY.  Back in days of yore, the high schools did exchanges of various kinds.  That got ended, I believe, due to some raucous parties or something like that.  Wonder if the tradition started up again.
I forgot that New York had an Amherst.
Shame!
I looked it up and Amherst NY has 129 thousand people. WTF that's twice the size of Utica.
All the more reason for shame.
Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position(s) of NYSDOT.

webny99

Quote from: Roadgeekteen on March 05, 2023, 11:47:13 PM
I looked it up and Amherst NY has 129 thousand people. WTF that's twice the size of Utica.

Yup. It's Buffalo's largest suburb, and I believe the only suburb in all of upstate NY with a population over 100k (although Greece is close).

triplemultiplex

If anyone is planning on day-tripping to be under the total eclipse, prepare for the worst traffic you ever thought possible.

I was out in western Nebraska for 2017 and all these rural two-lane routes that are normally several minutes between vehicles driving by were bumper-to-bumper.  Easily the most traffic those particular roads had ever seen and will ever see.  My advice is, wherever you set up to watch, just chill out there for a few hours and let everything clear out.  Why put up with the hassle?  Bring a portable grill and cook out. Have some lawn chairs, especially the kind that lean way back, fill a cooler with some taste beverages and settle in.

If you can make it, totally do it.  It's pretty cool, both metaphorically and literally.  After about a minute of totality you start to notice, "Hey is it getting cooler?"  You wind up talking with the folks around you, snacks get traded, beverages get shared.  It's a rare collective experience you will never forget.  I even saw some disaffected teenagers who were clearly dragged along for the trip to rural Nebraska snap out of their cell phone immersed existence and have a real, profound moment.
There's something very primal about gathering with thousands of other humans in the middle of nowhere and all simultaneously cheering the eclipse at the moment totality begins.  You feel connected to something ancient.  Like this is some kind of ritual our ancestors would do long before the invention of science or monotheism.  That sounds a little pretentious and stupid in writing, but maybe you'll have a similar feeling after you experience one.
"That's just like... your opinion, man."

ET21

Yeah I heard similar stories from my chaser friends in 2017. Many brought a lunch/dinner with them and just chilled for a bit to let traffic lighten up. I will probably do the same
The local weatherman, trust me I can be 99.9% right!
"Show where you're going, without forgetting where you're from"

Clinched:
IL: I-88, I-180, I-190, I-290, I-294, I-355, IL-390
IN: I-80, I-94
SD: I-190
WI: I-90, I-94
MI: I-94, I-196
MN: I-90

webny99

#20
Quote from: triplemultiplex on March 07, 2023, 10:38:29 AM
If anyone is planning on day-tripping to be under the total eclipse, prepare for the worst traffic you ever thought possible.

Your post is getting me excited already. I'm very fortunate that I won't have to travel, but I am expecting an influx of viewers from other areas.

Looking at the map of the eclipse's path, here are some way-too-early traffic hot spots:


  • Niagara Peninsula, ON: influx of viewers from the Toronto area which is mostly just north of the path all heading to a somewhat small area; Hamilton is on the edge of the path, and Fort Erie (near the US border) is right near the centerline
  • Syracuse, NY: influx of viewers from the south (Binghamton, Scranton, Philly) east (Utica, Albany, parts of MA) and southeast (NYC area); because of Lake Ontario, many east coast viewers will travel through Syracuse even if they're viewing the eclipse elsewhere
  • Toledo, OH: influx of viewers from the north (Detroit area and elsewhere in MI) and west (South Bend, Chicago, etc.); similar to above, Lake Erie will force a lot of eclipse travelers through Toledo even if they're viewing elsewhere
  • Indianapolis, IN: influx of viewers from the Chicago area, Cincinnati, and Louisville; the south side of the Indy area is right in the center of the path and will have over 4 minutes of totality, slightly more than points north and east
  • Texas: nothing stands out to me here since eclipse viewers from Houston can split west towards Austin/San Antonio or north towards Dallas/Fort Worth, but no doubt Texas will be a popular place to view the eclipse given the longer totality times, warmer weather, and higher chance of clear conditions

Life in Paradise

Quote from: triplemultiplex on March 07, 2023, 10:38:29 AM
If anyone is planning on day-tripping to be under the total eclipse, prepare for the worst traffic you ever thought possible.

My youngest son (he was in college) and I went from Evansville to Southern Illinois to look at the eclipse from the ferry parking lot at Cave-in-Rock, IL.  I knew better than to go across the US 41 bridges to Kentucky, since they were all backed up, but practically no traffic from Evansville west into Illinois and then down south.  You just have to pick your locations wisely, and figure out what the "choke points" for traffic would be and just come up with another option that will get you in the middle of the band.  I would suggest for 2024 that if you are in the mid-west, you might look at areas such as Vincennes, IN

Rothman

I didn't experience a whole lot of heavy traffic when I went to the last eclipse.  Didn't hit any on the way down to TN, except for a construction detour along I-81 in Buchanan, VA.

Only hit a couple of short jams heading out.

The cost of me going to a place to see totality what wasn't at the greatest eclipse point was a few seconds of time.

So, there are a lot of possibilities in that totality stripe where you don't have to be where the crowds are.
Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position(s) of NYSDOT.

Jim

Quote from: Roadgeekteen on March 05, 2023, 08:17:22 PM
Question: from Amherst, where is the closest place where you can see even a small part of the eclipse? It's on a monday so I will likely have school, but wondering if I can see anything nearby at all.

I intend to cancel my class and get into the shadow.

Re: the traffic.  I was in Nebraska for 2017 started the morning near Omaha and watched the eclipse in Grand Island.  We easily avoided busy I-80 via a pretty much empty US 34 on the way out.  Took US 30 back, and had no delays of any significance.
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hbelkins

I had a decent experience seeing the 2017 eclipse. Met my brother in London, we headed down I-75 for a boat ramp parking lot in Tennessee. Traffic wasn't bad except for a jam-up on I-40/I-75 west of Knoxville. We got to the viewing spot with plenty of time to spare. Afterwards, we got in some traffic approaching US 27, but once we got on 27 we didn't have any issues going to the overnight lodging spot he'd chosen near Kingston.

He's decided that for next year, we're likely going to a casino parking lot in Indiana along I-74. It's only about a two-hour drive from his place so it'll end up being a day trip.


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