Many schools will be closed on solar eclipse day: Solar Eclipse School Closures Announced in These States (msn.com)
However, amid all the excitement, there are fears that the eclipse could prove dangerous as the day suddenly plummets into darkness. Authorities have issued warnings that looking directly at the sun could lead to permanent eye damage, but there are other concerns too.
Experts have said that drivers may be distracted on the roads, which in some areas will see a build-up in traffic as those from out of town flock to watch the eclipse. Authorities are also concerned that huge crowds could put a strain on local resources and first responders.
This for a predictable, naturally occurring event that has occurred many times in present day adult lives.
In 2017, we were in the path of the solar eclipse. In fact, I was the first person in the world to observe a solar eclipse from a hovercraft (the 2nd hovercrafter to do so saw it seconds later from a lake near Prineville, OR – but I was much further to the west so saw it first).
The Oregon Department of Transportation had done scenario plans which the media got a hold of – one of those scenarios was there would be so much traffic that roads would be grid-locked for 3 to 5 days and everyone should stock up on food in advance. The media then promoted this and said we should stay home and not drive a few tens of miles to be in the path of total eclipse.
In reality, the coastal areas were not very busy at all. The Willamette Valley was heavy traffic but no worse than many commute hours. And in Central Oregon, there were big traffic jams – lasting hours, not days. Community volunteers worked to make things run smoothly.
There was no disaster.
But in today’s world and the constant culture of outrage, “authorities” must be similarly panicked over a naturally occurring, predictable event.
And by the way, the difference between a 99% eclipse and 100% eclipse is night and day. Because we abided by the authorities, we stayed close to our home location and saw a 99% eclipse. I since learned that anything less than 100% is a completely different experience than 100%.
I considered viewing this eclipse as it is the last total eclipse visible in the U.S. until the 2040s, but we had multiple conflicts around that date which precluded travel to the center of the U.S. I have seen one annular eclipse and one 98-99% eclipse – and would like to see a total eclipse at some point.
Update: We have truly lost our minds
- US National Guard could be called in as solar eclipse sparks chaos with 66,000 tourists (msn.com)
- April 8 total solar eclipse: Why you should wear red or green on eclipse day – al.com
- Cities in direct path of April’s solar eclipse forecasting sudden power outage next week (msn.com)
- Solar Eclipse Sparks Warning About Cell Phones (msn.com)
- FAA warns of impacts to air travel during Great North American Eclipse (nypost.com)
- Police Deploy Emergency Plan for Solar Eclipse (msn.com)
- Solar eclipse could see cellphone signal impacted across the US (msn.com)
- Many eclipse visitors to northern New England pulled an all-nighter trying to leave (msn.com) – Vermont is famous for it’s “No G” cell service coverage 🙂 ““Every rest area, any pull-off, anything, was full,” Lacourse said, adding that there also was no cell service.” The no cell service is because of the hilly terrain and low population areas. Likely had nothing to do with the apoca-elipse.
- Eclipse visitors were supposed to overwhelm Texas and its roads. Where was everybody? (yahoo.com)
- Hotel stays for eclipse high but less than anticipated, Austin travel leaders say | KXAN Austin
- Vermont’s eclipse in (preliminary) numbers: 160,000 visitors, 60,000 cars | Vermont Public
