Solar eclipse: When to leave Cincinnati to reach the path of totality
Thousands of people from inside and outside Ohio will travel to view the solar eclipse. Learn more about the predicted travel patterns on April 8. On April 8, Ohio residents will have a unique opportunity to see a total solar eclipse, which will pass between the earth and sun, completely blocking the sun’s rays for several minutes. The path of totality will cross the state from southwest to northeast, illuminating cities like Dayton, Mansfield, Akron, Cleveland and Toledo. Ohio officials are expecting between 150,000 to 575,000 visitors when the total eclipse passes over the state. The Ohio Department of Transportation has predicted that traffic could worsen during the eclipse, starting from 9-10 a.m. to 2 p.m., with traffic expected to worsen during this time of totality. The total eclipse will pass over Ohio at 3:08pm, with the final exit of the Moon's shadow from the state at 3.19pm.
Published : a month ago by Mariyam Muhammad, Cincinnati Enquirer in Science
In order to view the upcoming solar eclipse’s path of totality in Ohio, you might need to beat traffic.
Check that. You almost certainly will need to beat traffic to view total darkness unless you live in the path of totality.
On April 8, Ohio residents will have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to view a total solar eclipse. The moon will pass between the earth and sun, completely blocking the sun’s rays from anywhere between 10 seconds to nearly four and a half minutes during the longest time of totality in north-central Mexico. The moon will appear to be the same size as the sun, leading to a period of darkness that will last several minutes.
It's a unique event, and Ohio officials are planning for anywhere between 150,000 to 575,000 visitors when the total solar eclipse casts its shadow over Ohio on April 8.
2024 solar eclipse: Where could Ohio traffic be bad during the solar eclipse? See the map from ODOT
The 124-mile-wide path of totality will cross the state from southwest to northeast, briefly blanketing cities like Dayton, Mansfield, Akron, Cleveland and Toledo in darkness. Cincinnati and Columbus are just south of totality, only able to view a partial solar eclipse.
The total solar eclipse visits Ohio at 3:08 p.m. with the final exit of the Moon's shadow from the state at 3:19 p.m.
To view the path of totality, those in Columbus, Cincinnati and the southeast portion of the state will have to head north. Here is what the Ohio Department of Transportation predicted.
Eclipse traffic starts to worsen when traveling from 9-10 a.m.
A good few hours before the eclipse, drivers can expect mixed traffic patterns, beginning from moderate to heavy.
Rush hour traffic around Cincinnati and Columbus will remain later in the morning. Based on predictions, 71 north is expected to begin the morning with a lower volume to capacity ratio, leaving fewer cars able to use the highway segment.
Ohio traffic could snarl before the eclipse when traveling from 1-2 p.m.
You could get on the highway an hour or two before the eclipse begins, but you probably won’t make it in time to your destination to see it.
The volume to capacity ratio is expected to get even lower, and chances are interstate highways 71, 75 and 77 may look more like parking lots than expressways.
Ohio's largest highways could be at a standstill around 5-6 p.m., hours after the eclipse
As drivers travel back home after witnessing the solar eclipse, they might not be going anywhere fast. ODOT predicts the volume to capacity ratio will be at its lowest in the early evening, and cars may remain at a standstill on highways based on predictions.
View this eclipse traffic forecasting map by Ohio Department of Transportation to get a glimpse of traffic patterns that may be caused by crazed eclipse viewers who will be traveling to see it. Plan ahead, be alert on the roads and drive safely!
2024 solar eclipse: How long will solar eclipse darkness last in Ohio cities? Explore these interactive maps
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: 2024 eclipse: Traveling to path of totality in Ohio won't be easy