The Total Solar Eclipse of April 8, 2024

[Hoosier]

Some info:

https://www.greatamericaneclipse.com/april-8-2024

 

Hope it's okay to have this thread here and now.  I figured we could share some general eclipse info, talk about travel plans, etc.  Yes, it's still about 4.5 months away, but it's time to start thinking about it especially for anyone planning on traveling to the path of totality.  Lodging will be filling up fast, especially after the new year.  

A belt from Texas to Maine will get to witness this majestic event, with totality lasting 4+ minutes over a good portion of the path.  In terms of duration of totality, this eclipse will be longer than the 2017 eclipse.  Based on my research, this will be the first total solar eclipse in the US to have a 4+ minute duration of totality since the eclipse of June 16, 1806!

I'm really looking forward to this.  As someone who saw the 2017 total eclipse, this is one of those events that I HIGHLY recommend seeing at least once in your lifetime.  And I mean being in the path of totality.  98% or 99% of the sun being blocked may sound like it's good enough, but it's really not even comparable to 100%.  You'll see the daylight dimming to a certain extent, but the changes that take place in the final ~30-60 seconds before totality hits are quite rapid.  The best way to describe it is like somebody quickly hitting a dimmer switch.  

After giving it some thought, I've decided to reserve a hotel room in the Indianapolis area for the 7th into the 8th.  Don't want to take a chance and wait to leave my house until the morning of April 8th due to the uncertainty about traffic or anything else that can go wrong like car trouble (unlikely as it may be).  May not actually stay in Indy for the eclipse itself, although there is some allure for me to experience it in a big city after being in a small town for the 2017 eclipse.  I feel like Indy is a good prelim location as there are some good road options to reposition if necessary.  Hopefully the entire Midwest isn't blanketed in clouds that day.

Some fun facts about total solar eclipses in Indianapolis:  The last one to occur in the city was back in the year 1205, which covered just a portion of the city (or the area where the city is located nowadays lol).  The last total solar eclipse to cover all of modern day Indianapolis was all the way back in the year 831!  It's been unusually long for Indianapolis... I think the average return rate of a total solar eclipse for a given location is something like once every 350 years.     

Overall, seeing a total solar eclipse is a remarkable experience that you'll never forget.  Some people cry, some people scream, some people are left speechless.  For me, it was a strange feeling like I understood the universe and how grand it is, and I had this feeling of inner peace that persisted even quite a while after.

If you miss this total solar eclipse, the next one in the CONUS won't be until 2044 (there's one in Alaska before that).

[Hoosier]

Just a fyi... I didn't book the hotel room right when I posted this thread.  But when I did, some places were already completely filled and some others were charging about triple the rate compared to surrounding dates.  So be aware... don't procrastinate.

[bud2380]

What time of day is it expected to head through Indiana?

[westMJim]

34 minutes ago, bud2380 said:

What time of day is it expected to head through Indiana?

Around 3PM

https://www.visitindy.com/events/eclipse/?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiAg9urBhB_EiwAgw88ma9Swlpm46VvggWaiirCWXOGW2n0SIhETxSbA6iRK-g-8JQ6afA_dRoCxzEQAvD_BwE

[westMJim]

On 12/7/2023 at 1:28 PM, Hoosier said:

Just a fyi... I didn't book the hotel room right when I posted this thread.  But when I did, some places were already completely filled and some others were charging about triple the rate compared to surrounding dates.  So be aware... don't procrastinate.

I have booked a room in a small town in Ohio for $89.00 but I would expect that to be much higher by now

[Hoosier]

Indiana is projected to be a popular travel destination.  

 

[Hoosier]

Gonna say it now but this will bear repeating as we get closer.  For anybody heading into the path of totality, I'd strongly suggest not wasting time trying to take cell phone pics/videos of the eclipsed sun.  It won't do it justice, and you want to experience something like this with your eyes, not through a camera.  If you want to have a camera set up nearby to document the events, that's another story.  In the 2017 eclipse, I took a ~10 second video not of the sky, but only of the surroundings just to document that I was there. 

Also, do not get hyper focused on looking at the eclipse for the entire time.  You want to take in as much of the entire experience as you can in the precious 3-4 minutes of totality or however long it is.  Look around.  And turn around, because the "360 degree sunset" is one of the cool aspects of a total eclipse. 

[jaster220]

It was pretty cloudy in SWMI when I saw it. Not sure what the % coverage even was for that spot? Just everybody at the office was going outside so ofc I went as well. 

[Hoosier]

2 hours ago, jaster220 said:

It was pretty cloudy in SWMI when I saw it. Not sure what the % coverage even was for that spot? Just everybody at the office was going outside so ofc I went as well. 

2017 was about 80-85% in southwest MI.

[MNTonka]

Anyone know where I can find a map that shows the likelihood of clouds on that day? 

[Hoosier]

38 minutes ago, MNTonka said:

Anyone know where I can find a map that shows the likelihood of clouds on that day? 

Here's one

[Hoosier]

Wrong date on that map though as it's the 8th, not 2nd.

[MNTonka]

Thanks! 

[Anti Marine Layer]

Should be a good one

[Minny_Weather]

1 hour ago, Anti Marine Layer said:

Should be a good one

It's an eclipse, not a storm.

[MNTonka]

Quite a bit of good info in this link for those planning a trip. 

https://eclipsophile.com/2024tse/

[Hoosier]

Only a little over 2 months away now!

Really hoping to stay in Indiana for this, but clouds will determine that and I'm willing to reposition out of state if necessary.  I have a few potential areas picked out in Indiana.  One is Indianapolis, which will have about 3 minutes 30 seconds to 3 minutes 55 seconds of totality, depending on what part of the city you're in (longer totality the farther south/east you are in Indianapolis).  Another area I'm looking at is somewhere south of Indy, where totality gets up to a full 4 minutes long.  Another possibility is around Vincennes, which will have the longest totality in Indiana at 4 minutes 5 seconds. 

A word of warning to those traveling.  Driving in may not be bad, but driving home may be a different story.  What should have been a 5 hour drive home for me after the 2017 eclipse became more like 15 hours as traffic was extremely heavy in southern and central Illinois.  Even the state and county roads were jammed.  I didn't anticipate it beforehand, but it makes sense when you think about it.  People arrive for the eclipse at different times, but everybody tries to leave at the same time when it's over.

[WinterSquall23]

On 12/11/2023 at 11:03 PM, jaster220 said:

It was pretty cloudy in SWMI when I saw it. Not sure what the % coverage even was for that spot? Just everybody at the office was going outside so ofc I went as well. 

Same here. It was partly cloudy in the Farmington Hills where I was working. We had about roughly 93% totality.  

[Hoosier]

Just over a month away until the eclipse date is on the GFS.  March 23 will be 16 days out from April 8.  

[Andie]

I’m planning a seat in the back yard.  Good coverage here.  

[kush61]

Salute and Salutations fellow Weather Geeks. Longtime lurker from Ontario Canada here.

We'll be travelling to Long Point (North shore of Lake Erie across from Erie Pennsylvania) to witness the eclipse.

 Just wondering if anyone can post cloud cover map updates leading up to the event along the path of totality ?

...Or suggest where one can navigate the internet to find such maps ?

 

Thank - you...

[MNTonka]

On 2/21/2024 at 8:54 AM, Andie said:

I’m planning a seat in the back yard.  Good coverage here.  

Are you in the path of totality? I would highly recommend finding a spot in the path of totality.  It’s so worth it! 

[Black Hole]

On 2/21/2024 at 8:54 AM, Andie said:

I’m planning a seat in the back yard.  Good coverage here.  

Depending on cloud cover I'll either be down that way or go southeast into AR. Since I am just going to drive both ways on the day of, it'll make for a long day but at least I can be flexible. 

[Hoosier]

1 month to go.

Just want to reiterate for anybody who does not live in the totality zone but is in an area with a very high percentage of the sun being blocked -- say 95% or higher -- don't just settle for that and think it's good enough.  If possible, do whatever you can to get into the path of totality.  It is well worth it!  

[Northland09]

My best friend lives in Makanda, IL and she said I could go down there for it. I am REALLY tempted to make the trip. Would it be worth the cost of going down there to see it?

[Tom]

6 hours ago, Northland09 said:

My best friend lives in Makanda, IL and she said I could go down there for it. I am REALLY tempted to make the trip. Would it be worth the cost of going down there to see it?

Absolutely, I've never experienced totality but from what I heard, it's like your on a different planet.  I only got to 90% or thereabouts and it was pretty decent.  100% totality is a different world.  It's one of those things in life you need to check off the bucket list.

[Andie]

Hoping for clear viewing.  I’ve read 250,000-300,000 viewers are on their way to parts of Texas.   
I’ll be in my back yard. I’m in the total zone.  
 

[gabel23]

20 hours ago, Tom said:

Absolutely, I've never experienced totality but from what I heard, it's like your on a different planet.  I only got to 90% or thereabouts and it was pretty decent.  100% totality is a different world.  It's one of those things in life you need to check off the bucket list.

I was lucky enough to be in the path during the 2017 eclipse but totality was only like a minute. One of the most breathtaking experiences ever. I so was to experience it again but just too far away dang it. Will have to wait like another 30 or so years until the next one. Hopefully I’m alive for it!

[Hoosier]

The 2045 eclipse is baller.  Totality lasts in excess of 6 minutes in the southern US.  Prior to that, there will be a total eclipse in 2044 in parts of Montana and North Dakota.  That 2044 eclipse is the next time that there will be a total solar eclipse in the lower 48.

[PhiEaglesfan712]

I'm headed to Buffalo/Niagara Falls for the Eclipse. I'm hoping some of that warm weather from last week lingers into early April. I've been there twice, in July 1992 and July 2009, and it was cold.

[Hoosier]

This website does a pretty good job walking you through the events of a total solar eclipse.

https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/total-solar-eclipse-what-to-see.html

Notice how much daylight there still is in the picture that is ~5 minutes before totality, when the sun would probably be >90% obscured at that point.  It will look weird (almost tinted) but still plenty light outside.  That's one of the things that took me by surprise in 2017.  I could not believe how much light there still was even just a minute or two before totality.  That final minute and especially those final seconds sees big changes taking place.

[WinterSquall23]

Some pictures of the Eclipse near Panama Feb 26, 1998. I was on a ship when it happened. Probably the most incredible sight I have ever seen.  One pic is before, the totality , to show the difference in light.  At totality I tried to capture the incredible 360 degree sunset.  It’s at that point of totality , I saw some of the brighter planets and stars appearing in the sky.  
 

Since there are no mountains you can see the moons shadow move over the ocean.    The camera doesn’t do it justice.  If you can see one of these, it is well worth the travel.  

[Hoosier]

46 minutes ago, WinterSquall23 said:

Some pictures of the Eclipse near Panama Feb 26, 1998. I was on a ship when it happened. Probably the most incredible sight I have ever seen.  One pic is before, the totality , to show the difference in light.  At totality I tried to capture the incredible 360 degree sunset.  It’s at that point of totality , I saw some of the brighter planets and stars appearing in the sky.  
 

Since there are no mountains you can see the moons shadow move over the ocean.    The camera doesn’t do it justice.  If you can see one of these, it is well worth the travel.  

I'd love to experience one from a ship or an airplane sometime, just for something different.  I heard that some airlines are offering "eclipse flights" on April 8.  Of course the airplane won't be able to keep up with the speed of the moon's shadow, but it will offer a longer duration of totality than observing from the ground (assuming the plane doesn't wander outside the path of totality).

Sure hope that we can manage clear skies for as many areas as possible.  

[Hoosier]

All else being equal, this eclipse should make things appear somewhat darker than the 2017 eclipse.  The path is wider than 2017, which means that the sunlight from the areas experiencing partial eclipse in the distance will be farther away on the horizon. 

A cloudy eclipse will tend to make things darker than a clear sky eclipse, although it sort of depends on how widespread and thick the clouds are.  Thick clouds over the eclipse and on the horizon would ensure the most darkness, but would obviously be terrible for viewing purposes.  

[Hoosier]

Just some thoughts/suggestions for those traveling to a total solar eclipse for the first time.  

It wouldn't be a bad idea to have some way of knowing where you're going that doesn't rely on internet/GPS.  Cell service can be an issue in rural areas in the best of times, but the system may get overwhelmed by the influx of people and in general, I just wouldn't want to rely on technology in the event that something goes wrong.  For the 2017 eclipse, I actually went old school and bought those large paper state maps and traced the boundaries of the path of totality.  Was glad that I did that as service was indeed sketchy at times.  Might just download some maps onto my phone this time, not sure yet.  

Anticipate heavy traffic (especially after the eclipse), even in some of the rural areas.  Some of these towns will probably have more people coming through on April 8 than they've ever seen before.  Funny story from the morning of the 2017 eclipse... I stopped at a gas station to use the bathroom in a town called Ava, IL on my way into far southern IL.  It has about 500 people.  The line for the bathroom was out the door... there were dozens of people in line... no joke.  

Gas up when you can and have some snacks/beverages in the car with you.

[Black Hole]

EPS cloud cover plot showing somewhere in the neighborhood of a 40-50% chance of clouds (day 15 still) with a slight signal for a system to move through the day before. Obviously way too early to know, but that is where things stand now down this way. 

[Hawkeye]

Hopefully, the weather will cooperate.  It's not necessarily the best time of year for that.  Traveling to see an eclipse doesn't really interest me, but it's nice to see other people get excited.  I saw there will be an eclipse in 2028 in Australia and Sydney will be exactly in the middle of the totality path.  That's pretty good luck.

[Hoosier]

4 hours ago, Hawkeye said:

Hopefully, the weather will cooperate.  It's not necessarily the best time of year for that.  Traveling to see an eclipse doesn't really interest me, but it's nice to see other people get excited.  I saw there will be an eclipse in 2028 in Australia and Sydney will be exactly in the middle of the totality path.  That's pretty good luck.

Different strokes for different folks, but as soon as the one in 2017 was over, I was already looking forward to 2024 lol.  Once I saw one, I knew I had to see it again.  Not dedicated enough to travel the world to see total eclipses like some, but may try to catch at least one outside of the US sometime.  Definitely want to see all the ones in the lower 48.  Will have at least a few more chances if I live long enough. 

[Hoosier]

Just some state by state historical info on total solar eclipses.  For each state that the path of totality will pass through on April 8, I've provided the dates of the last total solar eclipse and the next one that will occur after April 8.  

No place in Indiana and Ohio has had a total solar eclipse since way back in the 1800s!

Some may be a little surprised to see Michigan and Tennessee on this list.  Well, totality will technically occur in part of Michigan on April 8, but only in the far southeastern corner of the state.  Tennessee will experience totality in the far northwestern tip of the state.

 

TX --  last:  5/28/1900,  next:  3/30/2052

OK -- last:  6/8/1918,  next:  8/12/2045

AR -- last:  6/8/1918,  next:  8/12/2045

MO -- last:  8/21/2017,  next:  8/12/2045

TN -- last:  8/21/2017,  next:  10/17/2153

IL -- last:  8/21/2017,  next:  9/14/2099

KY -- last:  8/21/2017,  next:  10/17/2153

IN -- last:  8/7/1869,  next:  9/14/2099

OH -- last:  6/16/1806,  next:  9/14/2099

MI -- last:  1/24/1925,  next:  9/14/2099

PA -- last:  1/24/1925,  next:  5/1/2079

NY -- last:  1/24/1925,  next:  5/1/2079

VT -- last:  8/31/1932,  next:  5/1/2079

NH -- last:  10/2/1959,  next:  5/1/2079

ME -- last:  7/20/1963,  next:  5/1/2079

[Hoosier]

Pivotal has added the total eclipse path and center line on their model maps.

Here was the 00z GFS