Cities and small towns in Texas from the Mexico border to Texarkana are bracing for a flood of visitors ahead of next week’s solar eclipse, with some local leaders warning their residents to prepare by stocking up on food and water and staying home on Monday.
They’re also watching the weather forecast carefully. Along the eclipse’s path through Texas, meteorologists are predicting cloudy and rainy conditions in south Central Texas and cloudy skies in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, which could ruin eclipse viewing parties and other planned events.
In Llano, Mayor Marion Bishop said regardless of what the weather does, his city of 3,300 residents is expecting large crowds of eclipse tourists, heavy traffic and potential shortages of food, water and medications.
He’s advising Llano residents to “hunker down, stay still and hold on, because it’s gonna be a wild ride.”
Solar eclipses occur when the moon passes directly between the sun and Earth. In Texas, the eclipse’s path is expected to begin near Eagle Pass at around noon and end at Texarkana around 3 p.m., passing through small towns like Uvalde and Kerrville, as well as big cities like Austin and Dallas along the way.
Llano is in the path of totality, meaning that for about 4 minutes, the moon will block the sun entirely.
According to NASA, a solar eclipse like this year’s won’t happen again for another 20 years. That’s caused an expected crush of eclipse tourism next week, with visitors from other parts of Texas and around the country booking hotels, vacation rentals and RV parks months in advance.
Multiple Central Texas counties have declared local disasters in order to control people moving in and out of the areas and more easily tap into state resources, KXAN reported. Kaufman County in North Texas did the same.
Meanwhile, Texas airports are preparing for more than the usual number of travelers. Dallas Love Field plans to have extra staffing. Austin’s airport was bracing for a surge of rental car business before and after the eclipse.
There’s a reason for the frenzy. Viewing a total eclipse is a spectacular, visceral experience, said Stephen Bradshaw, a professor of physics and astronomy at Rice University. As the moon moves in front of the sun, the temperature drops, and a diamond of light beams emerges around the moon’s edge.
Being able to witness a total eclipse over land is also unusual, Bradshaw said. This one is passing through densely populated areas that are relatively easy to reach, sparking thousands of road trips.
In Bradshaw’s view, it’s worth making the effort to see.
“It’s almost sort of a whole body experience,” Bradshaw said. “I think these days, especially, people are a lot more about having experiences. And this is one of nature’s most spectacular.”
In Llano, Bishop’s main concern next week is gridlock at the Roy B. Inks Bridge over the Llano River. Built in the 1930s, it’s the only bridge connecting the northern and southern halves of the city.
“We’re making the best we can out of not a good situation,” Bishop said. The bridge “is not going to be able to handle the demands of the traffic that’s going to be going across it.”
The mayor has asked residents to stock up with a week’s worth of food and fill up their gas tanks before this weekend. Bishop said the city’s 90 bed-and-breakfasts are booked. The city has spent $35,000 to rent 150 portable toilets.
The city is warning visitors that cellphone service may be spotty with so many people in town.
“You can’t take a town of 3,300 people, and then bring in 60,000 [more] and not expect to run out of everything,” Bishop said. “When you’ve got a horde of hungry people, and they’re here for a day or two, then all the supplies are going to disappear.”
Tony Guidroz, the city’s community development director, said Llano has held three town halls in preparation for the eclipse. He added that the city is viewing the eclipse as an opportunity, not an emergency, and hopes that local businesses, hotels and restaurants will experience an economic boost.
“We’re really excited for the opportunities that our businesses and lodging properties may have to really capitalize on the economic impact that the event can provide,” he said.
At Cooper’s Old Time Pit Bar-B-Que, manager Chris Engelman said the restaurant has stocked up with about 50% more than its regular supply of meat, paper goods and to-go containers. Cooper’s will extend its hours and asked employees to report for work about four hours earlier than usual, he said.
“We are going to knock it out of the park. We’ve put in as much research and preparation as we can. It’s about taking care of the customers, while giving relief to employees,” Engelman said.
Roughly 80 miles west of Llano in Junction, Andrew Burnard, a volunteer leader with Kimble County’s Community Emergency Response Team, said the county has emergency plans in place in case of traffic jams on Interstate 10, a major trucking route connecting Houston and Los Angeles.
“We are very worried that people are going to pull off of [the highway] and look at the eclipse and then cause more traffic delays for the truck driver that just wants to get his load all the way to LA,” Burnard said.
The eclipse is supposed to reach Junction at 1:30 p.m. and will last about 3 minutes. The weather forecast for Junction on Monday is mostly cloudy with possible thunderstorms.
Adam Hammons, a spokesman with the Texas Department of Transportation, said in an email that the agency will have crews available to direct traffic where it’s needed and will put messages on electronic highway signs warning people not to park along the highway.
South of the city at South Llano River State Park, Superintendent Cody Edwards said the park’s 220 day-use parking spots and all 58 campsites are booked for the eclipse.
Park staff have pumped out the park’s septic system and prepped the restrooms for the influx of eclipse visitors.
Edwards said staff is working hard to give visitors “the best possible outdoor experience” to view the eclipse from its two-mile river frontage or more than 20 miles of trails.
