Editor’s note: This story is part of The Dallas Morning News’ coverage of the 2024 total solar eclipse. For more, visit dallasnews.com/eclipse.
A total solar eclipse will cut across the U.S., turning day to dusk over a large swath of Texas.
This is a historic day for Dallas, which was last in an eclipse’s path of totality in 1878, and won’t be again for nearly 300 years. While the eclipse has generated much excitement, it has also caused worries of gridlock traffic and fuel shortages, and a laser-like focus on the weather forecast.
Reporters and photojournalists with The Dallas Morning News are stationed across Texas, at parks, museums, places of worship, dive bars and even in the sky, via Southwest Airlines. We’re tracking the eclipse as it sweeps across the state and will provide updates throughout the day and evening.
10:35 a.m. Could eclipse down satellites?
Is the eclipse going to mess with all those satellites up in space? Nope, says John Gagosian director of the Joint Agency Satellite Division of NASA, and here’s why.
”Fortunately, satellites won’t be affected by the eclipse,” he said. “They’re designed to operate without solar power for a period of time.”
Most satellites aren’t going to be in the path of today’s eclipse anyway, he said. Satellites including the International Space Station take 90 minutes to orbit the Earth and it would be a “big coincidence if one passes at just the right point.”
”But they do encounter eclipses now and then and they just switch to battery from solar power,” said Gagosian, who is participating in a public program today at AT&T Discovery District.
– Maria Halkias
10:30 a.m. Dallas Zoo watch party
The moment J.L. Franklin saw a report about the 2017 solar eclipse, she knew she had to be at the next one. She immediately began planning, ordering 30 eclipse glasses a year in advance because she worried they would run out.
It soon turned into a sort of family reunion, with 24 of her nieces and nephews, along with some of their family and friends, tagging along to watch the eclipse at the Dallas Zoo.
”We’re zoo and aquarium people, all of us,” Franklin said. “My last time at the zoo was my senior skip day in 1972 … so we thought this would be the perfect place to see it.”
Some traveled all the way from Colorado and Florida. Others in Fort Worth, Gun Barrel City and Mansfield were able to drive in.
– Valeria Olivares
10:25 a.m. Cloudy skies, with some hope
As of 10 a.m. Monday, Steve Fano, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Fort Worth, said the only part of Dallas-Fort Worth without dense, low clouds is northwest Tarrant County.
”The good news is it does look like, although the clouds are in place, now through the afternoon there will be some scattering of that low cloud deck. Some places will get enough breaks to have decent visibility.” Fano said.
Thinner, high clouds also moved into the region, but “they shouldn’t completely obscure eclipse viewing,” Fano added. For eclipse chasers, the best viewing is likely north of I-20, according to the weather service.
– Hojun Choi
10:15 a.m. ‘A moment of reflection’
Mike Barker, 45, often watches planes land at Love Field Airport while he works from the Starbucks near Bachman Lake. The Dallas native saw a little uptick in traffic this weekend for the tourists flooding his hometown for the eclipse
He’s not a fan that the rare celestial event has devolved into a tourist attraction instead of a special experience for each individual.
“It’s a moment of reflection and meditation for many people, but I think the masses are looking at it totally different,” Barker said.
Barker didn’t buy special eclipse-viewing glasses and said he isn’t planning on watching the event. Instead, he wants to focus on feeling through other senses.
“I think it’s an energy and if you really are into spirituality and you’re into meditation, I think that’s the way you really feel this event more than wearing a t shirt or glasses,” Barker said.
Ralph and Kim Haefner, who flew into Dallas from Minnesota, walked around Bachman Lake Monday morning to scope the best spot to view the moon pass in front of the sun.
“Millions of years from now as the moon keeps getting slightly farther and farther away from the Earth over time, it’ll be too small to cover the sun,” Ralph said. “It’s just this weird little coincidence that you can see this amazing spectacle.”
The Haefners booked a home through Vrbo last February, when hotel reservations were filling up fast. Ralph’s lifelong love of astronomy led him to a graduate degree in astrophysics. He’s an eclipse chaser hoping for clearer skies after clouds blocked the couple’s view of the 2017 solar eclipse from Missouri.
Though the Haefners couldn’t see the moon pass over the sun in 2017, the couple said the experience was still otherworldly. As the moon’s shadow slowly covered the Earth, temperatures dropped and the sky turned black as night.
“The animals just got quiet when it turned dark,” Kim said. “The birds stopped chirping. It was weird.”
– Leah Waters
10:06 a.m. Clouds in Texas, but where will skies be clear?
The weather isn’t looking ideal for a large part of the eclipse’s path, including in Dallas, with the heaviest clouds expected in parts of Texas.
There are patches that may be clear. And meteorologists point out that the eclipse might still be visible if the clouds are high and thin. But clear skies are expected is northern New England through to Canada.
That area has “a pretty solid lock to be able to see the eclipse pretty crystal clear,” said National Weather Service meteorologist Cody Snell.
Sarah Laneau, of Westfield, Vermont, woke up at 4 a.m. Monday to bring her 16-year-old daughter to nearby Jay Peak ski resort in Jay, Vermont, to catch the eclipse from the top of the mountain after a morning on the slopes.
”This will be a first from me and an experience of a lifetime,” said Laneau, who was dressed in a purple metallic ski suit with a solar eclipse T-shirt underneath.
– The Associated Press
9:50 a.m. Heavy traffic not an issue — yet
The heavy traffic predicted by the Texas Department of Transportation had not hit Dallas-area roads by 9 a.m. Monday, with commuters experiencing average road conditions.
Though the agency has warned the state could experience heavy traffic before, during and after the eclipse thanks to the predicted 1 million visitors, most congestion is expected after totality as drivers converge on highways to get home.
TxDOT is coordinating with local law enforcement agencies, many of which will have a heightened presence throughout Dallas-Fort Worth during eclipse events.
Severe storms, which could include large hail, are expected to hit North and Central Texas after the eclipse, and the National Weather Service warned those traveling to have a plan in place.
– Amber Gaudet
9:35 a.m. ‘Worst case scenario’
It was still quiet at Kiest Park, as staffers for council members Carolyn King Arnold and Zarin Gracey set up chairs and tables for a watch party.
David Vartanyan, an astronomer with Carnegie observatories in California, arrived to track the moon’s movement using an application. He is among 30 scientists who flew from Los Angeles to work with Dallas’ Perot Museum.
A few members from the city’s Code Compliance stood nearby as he held his mobile phone toward the sky to show where the eclipse will begin.
“Worst case scenario, even if it’s cloudy, even if there’s no relief from the clouds, not even a partial gap. You’ll still see it get a lot darker because the moon will now be covering a sun,” Vartanyan said. “I think we should be able to hear the turn of silence because animals think it’s nighttime or at least they’re confused, so they go quiet for a bit.”
Today Show host Al Roker is among the guests Monday at the Perot Museum. Roker spoke to students from the Lamplighter School and Uplift Atlas Preparatory while filming a segment at the museum.
– Devyani Chhetri
9:08 a.m. Downtown Dallas draws tourists
The first two who staked out a spot in Main Street Garden Monday morning around 7:45 a.m. are also first-time eclipse travelers.
Pam Koester, 60, of Phoenix came to Dallas for the event on the advice of her stepson who experienced the 2017 eclipse and told her, “Go. It’s the single most fabulous natural event you will see in your life.”
Koester and Laura Hartgroves, 56, also from Phoenix, flew into Love Field Friday and are staying downtown because they didn’t want to have to drive anywhere.
”I’ve never been to Dallas and I’ll be telling everyone to come. People are so nice and we walked everywhere,” said Hartgroves.
They’ve been to the Dallas Museum of Art, the JFK Museum, Dealey Plaza, the Holocaust Museum and the Dallas Aquarium. Koester started planning the trip a year ahead. She booked the Indigo Hotel and an Airbnb and was glad she did. The Airbnb canceled 10 days before they were scheduled to arrive.
”The only negative is the weather, but we’re hopeful,” Koester said. “We know a lot of people dumped Dallas and went to Indianapolis and Vermont.”
– Maria Halkias
8:50 a.m. Clouds move into Dallas
Low clouds moved into Dallas just after 8 a.m., but the National Weather Service said coverage will be heaviest between 9 and 11 a.m. Clouds are expected to break up a little before the eclipse.
High, thin clouds, which would allow a glimpse of the eclipse, are forecasted for much of North Texas, although some unlucky areas will have dense, low clouds that limit viewing.
“There are some patches of dense high clouds moving in, but a good portion is still fairly thin,” the weather service said, adding that the best viewing will be north of I-20.
Severe storms are expected to hit after the eclipse, and the weather service warned those traveling to have a plan in place. Large hail is the primary threat, but tornadoes, damaging winds and flooding are also possible. A simulated radar shows storms moving into North Texas at 9 p.m. Strong to severe storms are also possible Tuesday.
8:22 a.m. Economic boom for Dallas
A few minutes of totality could equal a big economic boom.
Downtown Dallas buzzed with excitement on Sunday, with packed sidewalks and traffic-jammed streets. Downtown Dallas Inc., said city officials estimated visitor traffic to jump 30% over the weekend.
In fact, today’s spectacle could generate nearly $700 million in total spending to the Dallas-Fort Worth area, with tourists expected to spend about $200 million, according to research from the Waco-based economic analysis firm The Perryman Group.
Texas businesses in the path of totality are looking at economic gains in the hundreds of millions of dollars. Statewide, the study predicts that tourists will spend $179.8 million in the restaurant industry, $280.6 million on retail and another $221.8 million on rental options such as hotels.
“When a wonder of the world is this easy to get to, people are more likely to travel,” said James Petrick, a professor at Texas A&M University who studies tourism. “And Dallas is very easy to get to.”
7:50 a.m. Dinosaur Valley prepares for eclipse
Dinosaur Valley State Park in Glen Rose was quiet around sunrise Monday, save for birds chirping and the hum of an ATV.
Park staff installed barricades to block off one of the main eclipse viewing areas, near large dinosaur statues sporting Texas Parks and Wildlife eclipse-approved sunglasses. Signs by the entrance of the park warned visitors it would be at capacity today.
State parks are among the most popular spots to view the eclipse, with more than 30 Texas parks in the path of totality. Visitors are not able to enter parks today without a camping permit or pre-purchased day pass.
– Lana Ferguson
7:25 a.m. We’ve got your total solar eclipse playlist
You’ve got your solar eclipse glasses and your viewing location. Next up: the perfect playlist.
We curated the ultimate 2024 solar eclipse playlist, which includes an abundance of songs with “eclipse” in the title, along with songs about the sun, moon and space. Eight journalists with varying music tastes on The Dallas Morning News Audience Team sorted through their music libraries to find related songs, ranging from pop and country to metal and K-pop.
Songs include Bonnie Tyler’s “Total Eclipse of the Heart,” Pink Floyd’s “Eclipse,” Johnny Cash’s “Ring of Fire,” Phoebe Bridgers’ “Moon Song,” and Rihanna’s “Music of the Sun.”
7 a.m. Best viewing north of I-20
The best eclipse viewing conditions will likely be north of I-20, according to the National Weather Service.
Cloud coverage will be heavy between 9 and 11 a.m., but some of those clouds are expected to break up before the eclipse.
A thin veil of high clouds, which would allow a glimpse of the eclipse, is forecasted for much of North Texas, the weather service posted on X, formerly Twitter. Some unlucky areas will have dense, low clouds that limit viewing.
“There are some patches of dense high clouds moving in, but a good portion is still fairly thin,” the weather service said.
– Hojun Choi
6:35 a.m. Eclipse in Eagle Pass
A town that has been in the spotlight due to an ongoing immigration debate is drawing attention for a once-in-a-lifetime cosmic spectacle. Eagle Pass, with a population of roughly 28,200, will become the first U.S. city to experience totality.
The last time this area of the state, correction, the world, saw this cosmic spectacle – Jan. 21, 1395 – it would be another 450 years before Texas became the nation’s 28th state.
So the city hosted a pre-eclipse three-day music festival at the Kickapoo Lucky Eagle Casino ahead of the total solar eclipse. Visitors flocked from other cities, states, countries and continents.
There were 55-year-olds Michelle Moore and Joel Lockhard, a couple from San Antonio who drove in to see Randy Rogers band Sunday at 9 p.m.
There was Emma Stiglical and Marco Stiglical, a father and daughter from Rome who flew two hours to Paris, then 10 hours to Dallas, before driving the final 6 hours to Eagle Pass to watch as the moon slowly covers the sun.
Marco Stiglical,60, was setting up a telescope outside of Yopo’s restaurant on Sunday night. Astronomy is a hobby for Stiglical, a businessman. He’s already seen a total solar eclipse on July 11, 1991 in Baja California. Emma Stiglical, 19, has not.
But as they arrived in Texas, so did the clouds.
“We were pretty excited but we saw the weather tomorrow,” Emma Stiglical said on Sunday. “So it’s kind of surprising – but we hope for the best.”
– Aarón Torres
6:05 a.m. Headed to downtown Dallas? Expect some highway closures
Those traveling into downtown Dallas today could see “rolling” road closures on major highways.
From about 1 to 2 p.m., highway exits headed into downtown will be affected by the temporary closures, Dallas police said in social media posts. Drivers leaving downtown should not be impacted, police said, with exits going out of the area remaining open.
The closures will encircle the downtown area, impacting stretches of Interstate 35E, Interstate 30, I-345 and Woodall Rodgers Freeway, including where it connects with U.S. 75 , according to a map provided by Dallas police.
Traffic jams on highways and roads are expected across the city, particularly in the late afternoon after the eclipse ends and people leave their viewing spots all at once, officials have said.
– Aria Jones
5:50 a.m. How to photograph the eclipse with a smartphone
The eclipse will draw eyes — and cameras — to the sky. While fancy cameras can capture striking images, smartphones work, too. Here are some tips for snapping photos with your smartphone.
First, turn off your flash, advises the American Astronomical Association, a professional astronomy society. “Flashes are an annoyance and, if nothing else, spoil the mood of the spectacle,” the society says in a photography guide.
Do not bother with your smartphone’s zoom feature, says NASA. Using a phone’s manual zoom will weaken the resolution, turning the image grainy. Instead, NASA advises smartphone users purchase a $20 to $40 zoom lens phone attachment to magnify images. Another feature to avoid? Your phone’s auto-focus. Instead, manually focus your camera’s image. To do so, tap the screen and hold your finger on the moon, then slide your finger up or down to light or darken the exposure, according to NASA.
Protecting your eyes during a solar eclipse is crucial, and the same is true for photographing an eclipse. You risk damaging your camera or phone if you take photos of the eclipse without a filter. Also, consider a tripod for steadiness.
“We’re humans and not statues. We can’t be fully still,” said Olivia Arratia, a visiting lecturer of photography for Southern Methodist University. “A tripod will give you a stronger, less shaky photograph.”
5:25 a.m. Beware traffic. It might get ugly out there
North Texans are used to gridlock, but traffic this week could be a different beast.
A Texas Department of Transportation spokesperson has said eclipse traffic could be as if several large football games all end at once, and officials in Texas’ Hill Country have issued dire warnings about gridlock. The Texas Department of Motor Vehicles banned oversized loads in more than 80 Texas counties, including Dallas and Tarrant, until midnight tonight curb some of the gridlock.
The best advice out there: Arrive early, stay late. Get to your viewing spot as early as possible today. If possible, don’t hit the road the moment the eclipse is over. Authorities are encouraging drivers to delay their post-eclipse return trip as long as possible. Anyone planning to be on the road should prep their vehicles by checking tire pressure and stocking up on snacks and water.
Just how bad could it get? Delays in 2017, when a total eclipse crossed over the U.S., were substantial. “The rare eclipse was memorable,” read a 2017 headline from the Lexington Herald-Leader in Kentucky. “The ride home was something they want to forget.”
Survival guide: What to know
Good morning, Texas. The big day has arrived, and we’re here to answer your questions and provide the latest on the weather and clouds. Here are the basics:
What time is the eclipse? Around 12:23 p.m. in Dallas, the moon will inch across the sun, with totality — or total coverage of the sun — beginning around 1:40 p.m. and ending around 4 minutes later. The moon will then move away from the sun, with the spectacle ending around 3:02 p.m. Exact timing will depend on location in the metroplex.
Where can I see the eclipse? Just look up. Several Texas cities will be in the path of totality, including Dallas, most of Fort Worth, Waco, Temple, most of Austin and parts of San Antonio. Denton, however, is outside the path of totality.
What about watch parties? There is no shortage of parties. Restaurants, museums, ballparks, colleges and even zoos are planning eclipse parties. You can check our list of watch parties and our list of restaurant food and drink specials.
What causes a total solar eclipse? A total solar eclipse requires a precise astronomical alignment, writes science journalist Adithi Ramakrishnan. The moon must pass between the sun and Earth at exactly the right angle, casting its shadow onto Earth.
Still need glasses? Before you look at the sun, you’ll need protective eyewear. Only during totality is it safe to remove your glasses. Looking at the sun without eye protection can damage or kill cells in the retina that allow us to see, leading to dark spots and distortion in our vision. For those who still need glasses, check Home Depot, Lowe’s and Walmart, all reliable places to buy glasses in person. You might need to call around to find stock. Warby Parker is giving away free, ISO-certified solar eclipse glasses at all of its stores, while supplies last. The Dallas Public Library and many others are also distributing glasses.
Eclipse weather forecast
The big question remains: Will weather — specifically, clouds — ruin everything?
Today’s forecast calls for cloudy skies across North and Central Texas, but what does this mean for viewing? It depends on the kind of clouds, and there’s some good news for North Texas. The National Weather Service predicts a thin veil of high clouds, which would allow a glimpse of the eclipse.
Visibility is looking less optimal in Central Texas, where thick, low clouds are forecasted. “These clouds will be capable of significantly limiting viewability if they do not scatter out by midday,” the weather service wrote on its website.
If these low clouds haven’t broken apart by noon, it is unlikely visibility will improve by eclipse time, the weather service said. An interactive graphic from the weather service projects about 60% cloud cover for Dallas-Fort Worth at 1 p.m. Monday.
After the eclipse, thunderstorms are likely. The chance of showers starts increasing at 3 p.m. and reaches 90% by 7 p.m. Heavy rain and thunderstorms are expected to continue Tuesday and possibly into Wednesday. Rain would likely worsen post-eclipse traffic, already a concern.
Share your experience
Did you nab a hard-to-get day pass to a Texas state park? Or are you hosting an eclipse-themed celebration? Maybe you’re going to get married just as the sun blots out the moon? We want to hear how you’re observing this once-in-a-lifetime occasion.
Share your story, along with photos and videos, with us here.
Staff writers Aarón Torres, Amber Gaudet, Aria Jones, Devyani Chhetri, Hojun Choi, Lana Ferguson, Leah Waters, Maria Halkias and Valeria Olivares contributed to this report.
