Travelers, undeterred by gloomy forecasts potentially spoiling celestial show, assembled from Texas to Maine for spectacle
Millions of people across 15 states, and in Mexico and Canada, were witnessing the rare and ethereal spectacle of a total solar eclipse on Monday, with cities plunged into sudden darkness and experiencing a precipitous drop in temperatures.
At lunchtime, the first such eclipse to cross the US in seven years swept ashore in the Mexican beach resort Mazatlán before crossing the Texas border at Eagle Pass and heading north-east towards Canada.
Undeterred by gloomy forecasts of low cloud cover and rain spoiling their view, hordes assembled in the US from Texas to Maine, clutching safety glasses and cameras with solar filters, in readiness for the rare spectacle.
But in several cities in Texas and south central states, the best viewing was obscured.
More than 31 million people live in the “path of totality” – the track of the moon’s shadow blocking the sun – that the eclipse will follow in a north-east direction for about an hour after crossing into Texas at 1.30pm CT.
And officials say they expect another 4 to 5 million to journey in, bringing an estimated $1.5bn tourism boost from what will be the country’s biggest travel day of the year.
It will be another 21 years until the US sees the next coast-to-coast total eclipse, adding to the widespread keenness to witness the moments of darkness and stillness during today’s event. But for many, the experience is proving costly, with surging air fares and exorbitant hotel rates. Others found long-held bookings canceled and resold to new customers at up to three times the original prices.
Travelers were up early on Monday to stake a good spot for watching the eclipse beneath the 115-mile wide path of totality. In Maine, where clear skies are expected to offer some of the best views, authorities reported heavy traffic long before daylight.
“We really didn’t even dare to hope that we would have weather like this, and the sky is blue and the crowds are actually beginning to form and it’s only quarter to six in the morning. This is the biggest thing we’ve ever seen,” Jane Torres, executive director of the Houlton chamber of commerce, told CNN’s This Morning.
Sarah Laneau, of Westfield, Vermont, woke at 4am to take her 16-year-old daughter on a ski tram to the top of a mountain at the nearby Jay Peak resort to watch the eclipse at an elevation of 3,968ft. “This will be a first for me and an experience of a lifetime,” Laneau, 57, said.
Forecasters had gloomier news for many other parts of the country, although predicted conditions have been generally been trending better in recent days. Clouds are still expected across much of the eclipse route, with severe weather including thunderstorms and hail for parts of Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana later in the day.
