Anyone who has ever tried to coordinate an outdoor event in North Texas knows how tricky Ma Nature can be. There’s just no guessing whether you’ll be dealing with the Sweet Mama — or the Throw-Mama-from-the-Train type.
With this in mind, North Texas organizers have soldiered on hoping for chamber of commerce weather for the total solar eclipse on Monday, April 8, starting at 12:23:18 p.m. (CDT). With this area being one of the eclipse’s sweetest spots, people from around the world will be descending on the region filling hotel rooms, driving rental cars and looking skyward for the 3-minute, 51-second total blackout that will begin at 1:40:43 p.m. (CDT).
The media has been dizzy trying to cover every aspect, including traffic problems. City of Dallas Office of Emergency Management Director Travis Houston has “urged residents to avoid venturing too far from their neighborhoods to watch the occasion.” The reason? To decrease the impact of traffic on roads.
Animal organizations are suggesting that humans may want to prepare for their pets to be a bit confused about the change. One can’t help but suspect that animals will be able to weather something like an eclipse more easily than Fourth of July celebrations, tornadic conditions or ice storms.
Now, after ages of waiting for the solar eclipse, Mother Nature is throwing possible shade big-time on prospects. Weather guessers are bravely admitting that it may be a cloudy day, with thunderstorms in the evening.
Regardless! Even if Monday is cloudy, the eclipse will still take place and darken the area.
If you want to leave your keyboard and join a crowd of eclipse watchers, there are some area watch parties. While the Dallas Arboretum and Heard Natural Science Museum And Wildlife Sanctuary are already sold out, you might want to check out:
- Dallas Zoo
- The Eyeboretum
- Frontiers of Flight Museum
- Klyde Warren Park
- Perot Museum
- Reunion Town
- Samuell Farm
- Six Flags Over Texas
- Turtle Creek Park
Whether in your backyard or at an eclipse party, under no circumstances gaze at the eclipse without appropriate eyewear. And sunglasses don’t cut it.
According to NASA Goddard Space Flight Center research heliophysicist Dr. Ashley Greeley, “Eclipse glasses let in thousands of times less light [than regular sunglasses]. Anyone looking at the sun should make sure their eclipse glasses comply with the safety standard known as ISO 12312-2.”
Eclipse-friendly glasses have been selling like masks in COVID’s early days at local retailers like grocery stores and/or online. WARNING: If you opt for online, you’ll need to pay an extra fee in most cases to get the glasses before Monday. Why does one suspect that Monday at 3:02:41 p.m. (CDT), when the event finishes up, the prices will drop dramatically?