The Great American Eclipse on Monday, April 8, 2024 will be the first time people in Texas will see a total solar eclipse in more than 140 years. About 32 million Americans will be in its direct path. 

“If you are inside this band, you’re definitely going to see totality. You’re going to see it will get dark.”

Dr. Barbara Castanheira Endl, an assistant physics professor at Baylor University, shows where the moon will completely block out the sun to more than 12 million Texans.

“1:35 it will pass through Fredericksburg, and then 1:40 it’ll be passing through Waco, Dallas is a couple minutes later, and so on and on.”

From Garner State Park to Enchanted Rock, Rachel Flinn, A Texas State Parks and Wildlife specialist, mentioned these as just some of the parks within the direct path of totality.

“We actually have 31 total parks that are going to be within totality. It’s going to stretch from Del Rio up through Dallas-Fort Worth, and, uh, really, it’s not too far from The Permian Basin.”

Parks in The Basin will be outside of totality, but the moon will still cover most of the sun at about 90%.

At McDonald Observatory in The Davis Mountains, Judy Meyer, a program coordinator, expects plenty of visitors. 

“We are expecting lots and lots of people because Texas is a, is a big place for people to come to observe the eclipse from out of state.”

As hundreds of thousands of people flood into Texas…”I think you can expect…an enormous backup on the roads.”

Based upon research from the 2017 total solar eclipse, Ryan Dirker, the emergency manager of Waco and McLennan County, explains what a five-hour drive from West Texas to East Texas could look like on the day of the 2024 eclipse.

“There were several cases in The Midwest where a five-hour trip from southern Illinois back to the northern parts of the state, which normally took five hours, took 18.”

“Honestly, if the traffic is going to be that bad, we, we might just miss school for three or four days and come back on Wednesday or Thursday.” 

Elisha Ramirez, a native of Odessa, plans to visit her sister near Austin with her daughter to see the total eclipse.

“If you can hang out a day and miss traffic, I would suggest it. And then, you know, just make an extra day out of it and take your kids to the movies or go eat somewhere and just, make a mini-vacation.”

For Endl, it’s worth it...

“I wouldn’t cross the streets to go from 98-99% totality, but I would travel very far around the globe to actually see a total solar eclipse.”

After April 8th, the next total solar eclipse to go through Texas will be in 2077.

Our Good Morning Basin team discusses the controversial topic.

For more Permian Basin weather…check here on https://www.yourbasin.com/weather/forecast/. Meteorologist Ryan DePhillips highlights how those winds will shift direction and pick up across The Basin today. Despite some increase in clouds from southern West Texas and from The Trans Pecos, skies will remain mostly clear from clouds for most with above-normal high temperatures continuing. Most will once again reach the high 50’s, 60’s, and lower 70’s this afternoon. As a weak low pressure system forms and quickly moves to the east, southerly winds will transition from the northwest as dry air will take over. Despite some passing clouds ahead, most will remain free from rain as temperatures will remain above normal as well. 

US Senate candidate Steve Keough made a trip to Big Spring Monday night, to gain voters for his campaign. Keough, who is a retired Navy captain, is running as a Democrat in a notoriously red state. In his campaign to beat current two-term US Senator Ted Cruz, he relayed to voters that he is the ideal candidate.

These kits include simple items to make things endurable, including blankets, chap stick, puzzles, lotion, and a planner, to help reduce the stresses of treatment.

An Indiana teen who has lived in Midland for about three months has been charged in connection with the November death of a Midland man whose body was found after his RV caught fire. 19-year-old Anthony Alexander Gomez has been charged with Murder and Unauthorized Use of a Vehicle.

Grandfalls-Royalty ISD is mourning the loss of a 15-year-old student killed in a hunting accident last weekend.

The City of Odessa has a long-standing commitment to the arts; that’s apparent in looking at all of the murals and commissioned pieces on display throughout Odessa.

The Comanche Trail Festival of Lights has begun, drawing more than 20,000 visitors every year and featuring giant lit poinsettias throughout Comanche Trail Park.

Local teacher surprised with Teacher of the Month honor

For more Permian Basin weather…check here on https://www.yourbasin.com/weather/forecast/. Stable atmospheric air with very clear skies has led to seasonably chilly starts across The Basin, but pleasantly mild afternoons. Meteorologist Ryan DePhillips predicts almost all areas of West Texas to be cloud-free today with temperatures reaching to slightly-above-normal criteria in the high 50’s, 60’s, and low 70’s this afternoon. Dry air will remain in place throughout most of the region, especially west of The Trans Pecos, as winds will be from the south-southwest. As a weak low pressure system forms and quickly moves to the east tomorrow, southerly winds will transition from the northwest. Despite some passing clouds ahead, most will remain free from rain.

Time to start layering as we get our day started and peel as we warm up during the day and bundle up with hot coca at night.

We start off cool in our upper 30s to low 40s, but we will quickly be rising in temperatures once the cold front leaves the Permian Basin.