There’s just a few weeks left to pick a spot to see the skies darken along a strip of North America, whether by land, sea, or air. For those who live inside the 185-km. path of total darkness, it may be a matter of just stepping outside and donning special eclipse glasses to watch the April 8 spectacle unfold. For the millions outside the path, or those who just want to improve their chances of clear skies, it could mean hitting the road with a game plan.
The eclipse reaches Mexico’s Pacific coast in the morning, cuts diagonally across the US from Texas to Maine and exits in eastern Canada by late afternoon and will plummet those in its direct path into total darkness for up to 4 minutes, 28 seconds – twice as long as the total solar eclipse that dimmed North American skies in 2017. Most of the rest of the continent will see a partial eclipse.
Where to watch the total solar eclipse
In Canada, the awe-inspiring spectacle – which won’t be visible here again until 2044 – will trace a path of darkness, called the path of totality, across parts of Ontario, Quebec and the Maritimes
The weather will be key, and spring weather along the path can be dicey. Mexico and Texas offer the best odds of sunny skies, said retired Canadian meteorologist Jay Anderson.
“There’s no guarantee of sunshine anywhere – just better chances,” he said.
Anderson studies satellite data for the previous 20 years to calculate how often a location has cloudy weather on any eclipse day. Besides Mexico and Texas, he said there are other promising spots on the path of totality, particularly along the Great Lakes.
The advice: If you’re flexible, start paying attention to local weather about 10 days out, and make your plans on the three-day forecast. Die-hard eclipse chasers often line up more than one location and make last-minute decisions based on the best forecast, he said.
How to prepare like an eclipse chaser
One veteran eclipse chaser recommends picking a location and make it a vacation so that the eclipse is “the cherry on top” and not the only highlight – just in case things don’t work out.
Tom Schultz will be traveling from his retirement home in Costa Rica to watch the eclipse from his mother-in-law’s house in Rochester, NY, along with other relatives. “If we get rained out, we’ll get this great family reunion,” said Schultz.
Veteran Anne Marie Adkins could drive across town in San Antonio to see the total eclipse, but opted to join an astronomer-led tour to Mazatlán, Mexico, betting on clear skies there. She’s been thwarted by clouds on other trips. “It’s a gamble. You never know what you are going to get,” said Adkins.
Where are the eclipse watch parties?
With the eclipse falling on a Monday, cities and towns along the path have lined up a weekend full of activities and watch parties to attract visitors. There are a multitude of music festivals and gatherings planned at museums, parks, wineries, and other businesses hoping to capitalize on the buzz.
Niagara Falls has a slate of events for days and is expecting Canada Day/Fourth of July-sized crowds for the eclipse – on both sides of the border.
There are multiple vantage points to watch the show from Niagara Falls State Park, and tourist boats may be running, weather permitting. But even if it’s cloudy, visitors will get “a beautiful view of the falls.”
It may be too late to snag a cabin on a cruise ship positioned off the Mexico coast for the eclipse, but there are other watery options including a ride on the paddle-wheeler Victorian Princess on Lake Erie from Erie, Penn.
If the sky beckons, Southwest and Delta have identified flights that will fly along or near the eclipse path. A special Delta flight from Austin to Detroit quickly sold out, prompting the airline to add another from Dallas.
Looking for a different kind of place to watch the sun, moon and Earth align? The Indianapolis Motor Speedway will host NASA astronauts and other guests.
Anderson, the weather expert, said it’s well worth the travel to see the “special magical moment” of a total eclipse: “It’s the Taylor Swift of natural events.”