With the solar eclipse two weeks away, planning for the best seats around New England is kicking into high gear. Here are some tips.
The eclipse is set to plunge a long arc of North America into darkness on April 8, including a stretch of the Northeast from New York to Maine. It is expected to be another 20 years before another total eclipse passes through the contiguous U.S., according to NASA.
The path of “totality,” where the sun will be completely blocked, is 115 miles wide, according to NASA. This path includes swaths of New York, Maine, Vermont and New Hampshire. Areas in states including Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island will see a partial eclipse.
Weather will be a major factor for those looking to plan how they’ll view the eclipse — and is so far uncertain. The biggest concern for many in April is the higher probability of clouds, in addition to potentially wet, snowy and muddy seasonal weather for the area.
“There’s not really much to say about what specific viewing conditions can be like yet, but we can talk about it climatologically for April, and it’s kind of a 50-50 split,” said Stephen Baron, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Maine. … “Looking at cloud climatology, for a lot of those towns, there’s really two options: its going to be overcast, or its going to be clear. And obviously we hope for the clear day.”
The Gray – Portland, Maine office of the National Weather Service has launched a page dedicated to tracking weather updates around the eclipse. The page includes seasonal averages for towns along the eclipse path and will be updated with forecasts as the eclipse nears.
For most of the area, the average seasonal temperature for the day is in the 40s, Baron said, and snow and mud are among a variety of factors people may want to consider in their plans.
In the 10 day window, Baron said, there will be “a lot more confidence” in the forecasts.
“The biggest tip I can can give everyone is just keep an eye on on the forecast for the area you’re planning on visiting,” Baron said. “So you have the latest information on what to prepare for.”
Many of the cities and town along the route are planning for events and festivals to mark the eclipse, including many listed on the dedicated pages on sites for the Maine Office of Tourism, New Hampshire and Vermont.
Eyewear is also an important element to planning to see the event. Eclipse glasses can be found at many online retailers ahead of the event.
The American Astronomical Society provides a list of retailers that sell reliable glasses options to see the eclipse safely. Glasses may also be available at eyewear stores and other retailers, but are prone to sell out closer to the event.